After The Sun Shined
by L'Archel-Hotishi
Summary: Takes place after the Good Ending in the game. Marta and Emil are united after sealing the door to Niffleheim...and now it's time for the two to focus on their feelings, with help from Tenebrae and the others. SPOILERS FOR END OF GAME. Emil x Marta.
1. I missed you so much

Title: After the Sun Shined

Pairing: Marta x Emil

Rating: K (will change to M)

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of ToS2, its characters, or the places. Only the plot.

Author's Notes: Well, here ya go! I still need to make lots of updates…blame the stupid MgO combustion labs and stoich! Regardless…some things you should know:

_**SPOILERS! ((Don't read this until you've finished the game and have gotten the "Good Ending"! ))**_

This takes place right after Emil and Marta unite after he separates from Ratatosk. They meet in Palmacoasta. Please enjoy, guys! I plan on this being at least 7 to 8 chapters, okay? Yep, it's long…XD Lol…

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"It…it can't be…" she stuttered, unable to catch her breath when she saw the shy and slightly flustered blonde standing in front of her. Her cerulean blue eyes began to shed tears when he saw his smile again…the smile she thought she would never see. Without wasting another second, she raced forward and threw herself on top of him, Castagnier swinging her frail body around, embracing her lovingly.

"EMIL!"

Marta held on to him like her life depended on it and, when they gradually separated from each other, tears were running down her cheeks like marathon sprinters. "E-Emil…" she choked out. Emil cocked his head to the side and leaned in, kissing her tears away. In his usual, overly timid voice, he said:

"I'm back…no…Marta, I'm home."

She cried tears of joy into his chest, unable to contain her feelings. "Emil…you separated…from Ratatosk…and Nifflheim is still sealed?" He nodded, large green eyes growing with compassion. He looked sweet and shy…just like the day she'd met him and Luin.

Their adventure was over, but their time together had just started. "I'm…so glad," the blonde teen said, looking around the maritime city and at the curious passerby who had stopped to examine the romantic couple. "I mean…I owe it all to Versius…she's the one who helped me separate from him…"

"And…Richter?"

"He's…going to help Ratatosk…" Emil left it at that. Really, he didn't remember…but he knew one thing. This wouldn't be the last time he saw either of them. He knew he'd eventually see Ratatosk and Richter again…he somehow knew it. "Oh, Marta…" he sighed, hugging her tightly again, suddenly remembering just how much he loved Lualdi. She hugged him back, whispering in his ear, "I missed you so much…" before daringly kissing him on the lips again. Emil was stunned for a few seconds, but then remembered that it was okay. It was okay…because he loved her. There was no reason to be so shy, and kissing her felt right…so even if he felt slightly withdrawn, now was the time to get over it.

He closed his green eyes and kissed her back with all the passion he could, trying to prove just how much he cherished her.

"I'd hate to interrupt, but maybe you should rent a room instead of getting so mushy in public…hm?" Emil pulled away from the kiss, stunned to hear that sarcastic, spiteful voice once again.

"Tenebrae!?" both Marta and Emil yelled as the Centurion of Darkness floated before them, a cat-like smirk never leaving his face. "Lord Emil, Lady Marta, you act as if you're surprised to see me…I'm crushed," he said in a mocking tone of voice. Castagnier, still as gullible as ever, started to paste sentences together. "Well, sorry…I mean, we didn't mean to…I mean…"

"I thought you were staying in Niffleheim!" she asked, butting in and saving poor Emil from thinking too hard. "You said that…"

"I said I would expect Lord Ratatosk to check in once in a while, right? You two are so much more eventful than him…" The two teenagers looked at each other, unsure of the response, but ready to accept it. They'd both missed Tenebrae so much.

"Aw…Braebrae!" Marta chimed, running forward with Emil and wrapping her arms around the Centurion's neck, Emil's tan arms circling his neck also. Blushing, he meekly said, "Well, my word…" before Emil and Marta both started laughing again.

"I…thought I told you…" he started, but then saw the two laughing heroes in front of him. Smiling, he bent his head down and let it go. "Oh, well. I'll let Braebrae slide…this one time."

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Yay, the third best character is back, Tenebrae!!!! (next to Zelos and Emil, Emil being the best). I don't know why so many people hate Emil…I love him. He's so sweet and sensitive, and I value that greatly. Marta's so lucky! Lol…:D


	2. New clothes make a better person

Title: After the Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: ToS2 isn't mine and I claim no ownership. Too bad, there would be way more Emil x Marta. XD

Rating: K

Author's Notes: Don't forget about the spoilers…and eventually, Marta x Emil will evolve into lemons. Please enjoy this story as much as the other one! Thank you! ((By the way, I like Emil's Japanese and English voice…maybe English more jut because he sounds so girly at the beginning. XD

It's for comedy. I love Emil to death and I'd never make fun of him…much))

ENJOY!

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Yesterday had been so frantic…Emil had met up with Marta…and not only had she kissed him again…he kissed her back! And he'd kissed her on the cheek earlier. Emil turned over in the bed in the Palmacoasta hotel room, trying to sort out his thoughts. "I…love Marta…" he said to himself, almost like he was trying to calm himself down. "I…love…"

"My goodness!" Tenebrae said loudly, appearing in a black mist over Emil's bed and looking upon the sixteen-year-old, curled up into a tight ball still clothed like a Knight of Ratatosk. He sprang up out of bed just in time to see the Centurion laughing before he leaped off to the corner of the room, chuckling so hard that his whole body rattled. "Tenebrae!" he shrieked in his usual, girly voice. This only made Tenebrae start laughing more. "Ahem," he coughed, trying to clear his voice. "I thought only women slept so tightly curled up."

Emil turned bright pink, but didn't argue.

"According to experts, that means that the person often has self-esteem issues…" Emil wanted to yell something back, but he couldn't. In fact, it was impossible to argue with that. "Before we visit your family in Luin—" he began when he was interrupted by a huge gasp from Emil's direction.

"HUH?! When…when did we decide…"

"Lady Marta decided it for herself, " he stated bluntly, almost like the answer was so obvious that there was no point in arguing. "Oh…" Emil sighed worriedly and thought to himself as he got off the bed to brush his teeth and hair, _"I know I said we could start over as a family…but were they just saying that because they'd think I'd die? No, Aunt Flora couldn't be that mean…and Uncle Alba said he'd respect me so…maybe it's worth a try…"_

Tenebrae followed him into the bathroom and seated himself by the shower, tail swinging back and forth happily. "Like I was saying, I suggest that we clean ourselves up to look more like citizens rather than knights, and then work on your self-esteem." Just then, the Centurion made a face, like an idea had just popped into his head, and shouted loudly, "Ah ha!" Emil turned from the mirror, pondering the day stressfully. "What?!" he interrogated, slightly annoyed. "We'll knock out two birds with one stone!" Tenebrae jumped up from the ground and moved in front of the blonde's face, his eyes shaking with fear as the Centurion shouted, literally, in his face, "We'll get you new clothes! Nothing raises self-esteem better than new clothes…" Emil jumped back and felt his head slam against the floor, hands planted over his ears. "Ow…"

"Then it's settled. Lord Emil, meet me and Lady Marta outside when you are done." Before Castagnier could reject, he vanished into a thick puff of smoke. Coughing, he sighed and decided that it was a good idea. He could always rely on Tenebrae…however…

He brushed his sand colored hard, pulling it harshly to try and eliminate tangles.

"I don't know about this…"

Marta smiled brightly when she saw her slightly embarrassed boyfriend emerge from the hotel, to her, looking as handsome as ever. "Wow, Emil….you look so cute!" Emil nodded, going along with it. "O-Okay…you look great also, Marta."

Her blue eyes got huge and, glittering with womanly freshness, she leaned in and pecked him on the check. "Aw, you're so sweet, Emil!" A hand flew to the spot where he was kissed, his hormones making his heart flutter madly. "Well…thanks." Marta smiled, but then it faded seconds later, turning into a sour frown. "What's wrong," Emil asked. Sadly, Marta said, "Well, I have to go talk with the Vanguard. Because our journey was successful, I won't be arrested, but I still need to calm them down…I hate to ask, but can you and Tenebrae just hang out here a little while?" Tenebrae was about to happily comply when he realized what she'd said and turned angrily, a vein pulsing from his neck. "Pardon? Why are you asking if that would be a problem?" Marta gulped, realizing her fatal mistake, and started to run off. "Uh…uh…bye guys!"

She was off like a bullet.

"…Tenebrae…did you remind Marta about the Vanguard so she would leave and we could finish your plan in secret?" The Centurion laughed merrily. "Yes, indeed."

"_Well…should have seen that one coming."_

Tenebrae chuckled at how cunning he was and made himself invisible so that only Emil could see him. "Well…clothes. I believe there's a clothes shop close by down by the dock. You can buy Lady Marta some new clothes too…I'm sure she's tired of wearing those old rags." Emil turned to the translucent Centurion, horrified by what he'd just said. "T-Tenebrae! Don't make fun of Marta's clothes…it's not like she's wearing sack or anything." Tenebrae turned his head away, leaping towards the shop gracefully, like a feather blown in the wind. "You're right, Mr. Future Husband…" he remarked slyly, just loudly for the blonde to hear him. Blushing like an idiot, he decided not to say anything and just followed the faint black shape back down to the harbor. Once he and the Centurion of Darkness arrived, the burly shopkeeper waved a muscular arm as an invitation for them to come inside. Emil bowed in thanks and entered, unsure of what to do. "Tenebrae…do we even have any Gald?" he asked in a whisper, trying to mask his voice with his hand. "300,000…go crazy…"

"WHAT?! Well…okay…" Emil said, not able to argue in the current situation they were in. He decided to pick out clothes for Marta first, considering he at least had an idea of what she liked. He walked over to the dresses and held up a pale pink dress. It was strapless and looked like it was made out of satin. There were also two slits in either side of the gown in which piles of frilly, heirloom lace poked out. "Tenebrae…would she…"  
He studied it a moment and turned to Emil, nodding in approval. "Actually…I've come up with a better idea." Emil listened carefully, almost excited to hear what the normally spiteful Centurion would say. "What if I used some magic to fix your old clothes…and then you use the clothes that you'll pick out today for a date in Altamira?" Castagnier turned bright red at the word 'date', but didn't refuse. He did want it, after all. "In Altamira…well, okay. I'll leave those details up to you, Tenebrae." Tenebrae laughed in delight and thanked the teenager. "Uh…second thought," Emil hesitated, trying to take back those cursed words.

"Too late!" Tenebrae cried gaily, already probing his nose through racks of clothes, picking out certain clothes for Emil. With a swift toss, they landed in Emil's arms perfectly (and nobody even noticed the invisible garments floating in midair)! "Try those on and meet me outside!"

"Why…?"

"Isn't it obvious? We're going to Altamira tonight!"

* * *

"I'm so glad Emil is finally back…and that the Vanguard is letting your father off rather easily because he was under the control of Solum's core…" Raine said happily, turning to Genis is the classroom of the small Iselia school and beaming a happy smile. "Genis, don't you want to see Emil?" The silver haired boy jumped up and down in anticipation, his voice getting higher and higher with each word. "Yeah! We became pretty close on our travels, sis!" The older woman nodded in agreement and turned back to Lualdi. "So…have you told the others that he's safe?" Marta shook her head bluntly. "Nope…but I'm planning a surprise party back at his Aunt Flora's house in Luin…will you come?" The siblings seemed to jump at the opportunity without any hesitation. "Yes, definitely," Genis cried, smiling like an idiot. Marta laughed and looked back to the older, silver haired woman. "Can you spread the message around for me…?" Raine thought about it, and nodded. "Colette is back in Asgard…so I'll tell her, and Lloyd should be with her…Genis and I already know…how about this," she proposed, gesturing like a normal school teacher would. "I'll tell Lloyd and Colette…you tell Regal, Sheena, Presea, and Zelos." Marta frowned at the compromise, but understood. It was no fair to make Raine travel around when she was supposed to be the one planning the party. "Okay, thanks guys!"

"Don't mention it."

There was suddenly a hazy could of black mist hanging over their heads. Genis jumped back in shock while Raine purred in delight at the Centurion of Darkness, still fascinated with him. "Tenebrae! You're back," she chimed, reaching out to pet his soft, stealth-jet colored hair. Tenebrae politely declined her offer and turned to Marta after greeting the two Sage siblings rather briefly. "Lady Marta…you and Emil are going to Altamira tonight…" Marta was stunned.

"Wow, telling Regal will be easier than I thought…but wait," she stammered, suddenly confused. "Why?" Raine chuckled and winked at Marta, failing in her petty attempt to be discreet about the matter. "Sounds like a date to me." Lualdi's eyes grew super big as she jumped up and down, twirling with sheer joy. "Is it true, Tenebrae?!"

He could only laugh. "You'll have to wait and see." Raine and Genis gave Lualdi smiles of approval, but Marta held up her hand and halted them. "I thought we were going to see Emil's family in Luin..."

"You'll do that Monday...today, you'll meet Emil in Altamira." He vanished quickly, not giving the brunette any time to reply. Of course, she was smiling, so he didn't really need one.

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Ah yes, nothing like snow, trigonometry, and Emil x Marta fanfictions. Yum. Hope you enjoyed reading, and stay tuned! :D~


	3. A date in Altamira

Title: After the Sun Shined

Rating: T

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of ToS2:KoR.

Author's Notes: Here we are with another chapter…(sorry it took so long…I was making scene bows.) D:

Enjoy!

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Emil sadly made his way to Altamira, not exactly dreading the night before him…but not looking forward to it either. He awaited Marta's arrival on the same bridge that they had kissed when Tenebrae materialized next to him. "Why won't you smile a little? Isn't this what you've always wanted?" Emil turned to Tenebrae and smiled a sad little smile, nodding to the Centurion of Darkness. "Yeah…but it doesn't feel real, is all."

Tenebrae's ear wiggled a little.

"I mean, " he started, shuffling his feet. "I'm supposed to be guarding the door, but Ratatosk let me live, right? He's so generous…he's really a much better person that I am." Tenebrae turned to him, tail swinging back and forth steadily. "Emil…didn't you promise Lady Marta you wouldn't get discouraged so easily…?"

"Huh?"

"Back in Izoold, you were worried that your prediction about the seafood gels being connected to the nazdrovie was wrong…and Lady Marta told you to have more confidence in yourself. Am I wrong?" Castagnier recalled the memory vividly, like it had happened the night before. "Thank you , Tenebrae. You aren't as spiteful as I thought…you've lightened up a little," he said gently as he rubbed the Centurion's head.

"Ah, yes, I deserve to be flattered more, and speaking of flattering me, do you like your outfit?"

"Yes…" he stuttered as he looked down at his clothes. "Thanks again, Tenebrae." They were horribly expensive clothes, but they were very tasteful. The blonde haired teen wore a long navy blue shirt with rolled up sleeves that stopped at his elbow. The shirt slimmed over his stomach and went past the waist of his black, form-fitting pants. The collar of the shirt was loose and exposed more of his collar. His pants flared out and had pockets with silver detailing. His shoes were high and more bulky with silver crosses printed on them. "It's nice, thank you Tenebrae." Tenebrae chuckled and smiled at the fact that he was being flattered again and looked away sheepishly. "My, my Emil…you're going to make me blush." Emil laughed and leaned against the bridge, anxiously waiting for Lualdi to arrive in the new clothes he had mailed her.

Regal Bryant was inside the Lezareno Hotel making preparations for Emil and Marta's room when a girl with long brown hair and blue eyes crept through the back door and tried to sneak into a bathroom with tissue-paper package held to her chest. The blue-haired duke turned away from his clipboard in shock and spoke up. "M-Marta? What are you doing?" Marta jumped up when Regal called her name, but once she saw his face, she shoulders slumped happily.

"Whew, Regal, I thought you were Emil." Bryant nodded, still puzzled by the teenage girl's odd actions. "My apologies…but what are you doing sneaking in the back door of my hotel? You're always welcome here--"

She shook her head, flower barrettes almost falling onto the floor.

"No, Regal…I didn't want Emil to see me in my clothes until the date started. It's like a bride on her wedding day…it's unlucky for the groom to see her in the dress before the ceremony!" She giggled a girlish little giggle and Regal couldn't help but sigh. "I understand. Please, your room is ready. Change in there."

She leaped over to the Duke and embraced him happily, her cheeks glowing and her eyes sparkling like a baby bird's after it flew across the sky for the first time.

"Thank you so much Regal!" Marta rushed into the room and waved to him from the doorway. Regal bowed and headed for the elevator.

"Yes, good luck."

"Emil…? Emil?" Marta called into the darkness. It was still light enough that they hadn't turned on the lights, but poor Marta's eyes must have suffered greatly from the journey. The poor thing was blind as a bat as she groped from the edge of the bridge. Just as she had reached about halfway across the bridge, the lights finally flickered on and Emil's form was fully illuminated in front of her.

"Oh my…Emil…" she gasped, sure that her face was probably the color of cotton candy. Emil turned towards her, his handsome face fully visible under the romantic starry sky above. When he turned his head, he looked like he had just seen a queen step before him. His green eyes widened ridiculously as he looked her over, clearly amazed. Marta flushed a deep shade of rose and couldn't help but beam a smile back at him. "Emil, you look so handsome!"

"Oh…thank you, but really Marta…you look amazing," he stuttered meekly, looking down at the pavement. Marta was slowly moving towards him in a sheer, light pink colored dress made of a wispy, mesh-like material that flared out behind her. There was a slit that stared in the middle of her right thigh, so her legs were completely exposed. Bejeweled straps covered her milk-colored shoulders and the bodice was dotted with diamonds like stars dotted the sky. Her hair was pulled back a little, but she still wore the flower barrettes her father, Brute, had given her mother on her first date. A thick band made of the same material showed off how small her waist was and silver ballet flats let her glide across the pavement like a spirit.

No, she looked more than amazing.

"Thank you so much…this dress must have been expensive…" Emil didn't say anything about the price, because just seeing Marta wear that dress was something he couldn't put a price on. "You're…worth the best…" he stated awkwardly, hoping that he was getting better at flirting with girls.

Judging by the blush on her face, the comment had made her ecstatic. "Oh…Emil!" She rushed towards him and engulfed the blonde in a perfumed embrace. "I love you so much! Thank you!" Just knowing that he'd made her smile like that, and that girl like her would love him back, was good enough for him. "Oh, Marta…" he began, swallowing. "I…I…"

"Stop. You don't have to say anything…" Marta remarked sweetly, giggling at his surprise. "You don't have to be all manly and flirty, you know?"

"_**I don't have to be…so right now, I'm the opposite of both?"**_

"After all," she whispered, slipping a hand under his shirt and running her slender fingers along his stomach playfully. He groaned and widened his eyes. "I fell in love with you…not Zelos," she joked, actually making Emil laugh a bit. "Thanks…Marta…"

She pulled back and Emil placed both hands on her shoulders, pulling their faces close together. When their lips touched, it felt like a cool splash of water had hit him in the face.

"_**Thank you…"**_

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Well…I'll be uploading more chapters soon. It was a little short, sorry…but we gotta get the plot going? What's in store?

Tenebrae, Zelos, more Tenebrae, lovey-dovey fluff…and cowbell.


	4. Secret plans

Title: After The Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to ToS: KoR / DotNW…it belongs to Namco. I'd love to have it though…if I did own ToS…I'd make the first game shorter.

Rating: T

Author's Notes: I HATE GLADSHEIM! Ohmigawd…what is that awful place…its worse than Niffelheim…and that's unheard of. Uuuugh…..I'm just not going to do it. I don't want the "Black and White" title that badly, lol.

Enjoy, guys. Minor spoilers, as usual.

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Marta ran from their suite in Altamira to Iselia as fast as he tiny legs could carry her. She'd been so dazed after he date that she'd found it hard to walk according to the rocky, country terrain. Tenebrae had delivered a message to her that morning when she had first gotten up.

"_**Lady Marta…Lady Marta, wake up!" **_

_**Marta's blue eyes opened to find that she was on the bed in their room and Emil's mess of blankets that he had made on the floor was empty. She looked over to the bathroom door and heard the shower running. She looked up at the Centurion happily, heart still filled with bliss from the night earlier. "What is it," she asked in a more giggly voice than usual. Tenebrae floated over her impatiently and sighed.**_

"_**Lady Marta…I understand that your journey is over…but aren't you supposed to be planning that surprise for Emil?"**_

_**She blinked, her mind still not fully awake.**_

"_**Huh?"**_

"_**I'm disappointed that you don't remember…" Tenebrae said slowly, floating down to the floor and sitting down in his usual, arrow-straight position. "Well…because you were on a date, I took liberty of telling everyone about the surprise so you could enjoy your night with Emil." Lualdi, who was still trying to float down from cloud nine, suddenly awoke from her queer daze and bounced of the bed in excitement. "R-Really!"**_

"_**Yes," the black dog responded matter-of-factly. "They want you to meet them in Iselia to discuss the plans. After all, this event is going to be very, VERY large, Lady Marta. I'm even inviting a few guests myself."**_

_**Marta nodded, completely okay with Tenebrae's actions, and ran over to the dresser to grab her old outfit that she had worn through countless battles. As she finished pulling the cream colored garb over her flat chest, Emil emerged from the bathroom. "M-Marta," he stuttered, clenching the towel around his waist a little tighter. Marta stared at his bare chest and damp face with large blue eyes. Blushing, she ran over to him and marveled his loveliness. "Emil…oh my gosh…you look…"**_

_**Tenebrae cleared his throat. "Lady Marta…stay on task."**_

"_**R…right," she commented gloomily, saddened by her duties. "I need to go to Iselia for a while…wait here, 'kay?" The blonde nodded his head mindlessly, watching her leave. "Oh, and Emil…?"**_

_**He turned just as he was about to grab his clothes. "I want to see you like that again…" she added playfully, enjoying her moment of victory as she watched the blush on his cheeks grow and deepen to a blood red color. She ran her fingers along his tan chest, seeing him jump in response to the tiny sparks. **_

"_**Lady Marta," Tenebrae chastised again, turning into a large puff if inky black air and pushing her out the door.**_

"_**Hey, c'mon Tenebrae! Ow!"**_

She laughed at the memory as she arrived in Lloyd's hometown, the Centurion of Darkness not far behind her. She turned to him, hand on her waist. "That reminds me…why did you follow me, anyway?" He turned his head towards her with a playful grin etched across his face. "You forgot?"

She nodded.

Oh, I still need to invite my two guests…" Now the fully awake Marta was extremely curious.

She looked left and right to make sure nobody was around and then kneeled down to meet Tenebrae's gaze, the grass staining her knees. "Two…who?"

He chuckled mysteriously and vanished before he could answer, and at no better time, considering Paul the Magnificent had just strolled on over to the gate. "Hey," he called, instantly recognizing Marta. "Lloyd set me to come get you…he and the others are waiting over by the school," he said. Marta smiled at him cheerfully and patted his head. "Wow…thank you!"

Blushing, he laughed self-consciously and rubbed the back of his neck. "It was nothing…Miss…"

Marta laughed and ran as fast as she could toward the school. She saw the colors of their vibrant costumes in the distance and almost screamed their names in joy. Skidding to a stop, she panted loudly and relished in their presence.

Her beloved friends…without them, Emil wouldn't be here.

"Hey, Marta dear!" Zelos ran forward to hug her, but was stopped by a deft kick from the purple-haired Sheena. "Don't freak her out, she just got here!" Colette pranced over to her and helped her regain her composure. "Marta! I heard that you went on a date with Emil! How much fun was it!"

Lloyd suddenly seemed curious. "Emil? He's doing well?"

"Thank goodness," Presea added apathetically, showing a little emotion when she heard of Emil's well-being. Genis blushed at Presea's joy and Raine laughed. Regal nodded happily and added in, "Yes, and I do believe that you two shared a room as well…"

Everyone's head in the group suddenly turned. "What? Really?" Raine interrogated, seeming a little peeved. "Kids these days…"

"Oh…for a limp noodle, Emil can sure put the moves on a lady," Zelos added with a hint of jealousy.

Marta, again defended her knight. Tenebrae, getting tired of waiting, turned to Sheena and poked her thigh with his paw. "Huh? Hey there, Tenebie," the violet-haired ninja said happily, equally happy and surprised to see him. "Wow…even you came back, huh?"

"Indeed, us old people get lonely easily," he joked. "I do need your help though…you still have quite good summoning abilities, correct?" She nodded and planted a hand on her voluptuous hip, purple kimono swaying in sync with her movement. "You bet, I even thought about forming a pact with Emil when he was guarding the door…why?"

Tenebrae motioned for her to come away from the group.

"Anyway," Marta coughed, returning to their proper topic. "I need you guys to go to Luin and tell his Aunt Flora and Uncle that he's back…and could you guys decorate a little?" Zelos, always prepared nodded merrily and skipped over to Marta, ready to assist her like he was living in a time where chivalry was still alive. "My little sister Seles said she can do all the decorating you need. Don't worry!"

"Then all we need to go is get permission to use Emil's house," Raine concurred intelligently as she tucked a pasty white hand under he chin in thought. Marta leaped up into the air, her heart already brimming with joy, and outstretched her arms. "Thanks guys…so much!"

Needless to say, everyone rushed in and hugged her.

Meanwhile, Tenebrae and Sheena were conversing behind the school. "You got it," she said, slamming her fist into an open palm. "It might take a while, so I'll tell everyone else as soon as you go. I'll keep them in Mizuho under lock and key," she added, making a cute sound effect of a door shutting and locking.

"Will you be able to do it with your summoning abilities?"

"Yeah…I'll take a few scouts and Orochi with me, so you stay behind with Emil. Even though he's pretty dense…we _really _don't want him learning about this."

"I'll tell Lady Marta later…thank you."

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…it might be obvious what Sheena is going to do. Tenebrae can be a real hoot, right. XD

Read and Review, and to anyone who's made it this far…thank you so much! I'll keep on updating! :D


	5. Pact with the past

Title: After The Sun Shined

Rating: T

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: Everything excluding the plot of the fanfic and the writing goes to Namco.

Author's Notes: SCHOOL IS DONE. Time for summer…I can play ToS all day! Also…question.

Are there any plans for a ToS2 anime?

If not, we should have a petition. XD

Enjoy the story! Thanks for making it so far! Also, I'm playing through the game my fifth time…and I'm determined to get Kismet and Emil best weapon from the Twilight Palace (I've already done both of Richter's quests…easy as pie.) I'm in Chapter 4...and I'm level 60. I think I'll be okay. I'm glad I finally know to do the other's Mystic Artes. Lloyd and Zelos's are my favorites.

Still, Colette's mystic arte is a close second. I feel adorable just activating it.

I love that game, enjoy.

-START-

Sheena had vanished suddenly and, even as Marta, Lloyd, and Colette stood waiting for her, she didn't come back. Zelos and Presea had left and Regal waited on the doorstep with Raine and Genis to escort the brown haired ironing board back to Altamira.

"I guess…Sheena left," Marta theorized, gazing over at Tenebrae. The Centurion bowed his head in a feeble attempt to escape her gaze and began mumbling random, incoherent sentences in hopes that that would free him from her suspicion. "Lady Marta…I propose we get back, the sun is almost setting…"

She nodded, remembering that she'd left Emil alone in to suite. "Wow, we've been here this long? Sorry…I'll let you guys go, " she apologized, waving a hand at Lloyd and Colette who only smiled in return. "I can't wait to see Emil," Irving said. "Him and I became good friends, and people you love shouldn't be away from you for a long time!" Genis nodded, leaping up and shouting, "That's right! I feel bad not talking to him until the party in Luin, but we've got to keep it a surprise!" The other sibling agreed. "Yes…maybe someone should stop by…to curb his suspicion."

""I'll go," Lloyd said, jumping at the chance. "We'll say that I'm heading towards The Tower of Salvation to let Yuan know he's okay…and I stopped by to see him."

Marta nodded in affirmation. "I think that'd be great Lloyd."

"Awesome! Then we'll just-"

"Marta!" a sudden cry came, shattering the excitement around them. Everyone looked and saw Emil running into the city, face red and exhausted. "Marta! Hey, Marta!" Lualdi panicked and quickly shoved everyone into the doors of the wooden school. Paul was chasing after him, but to no avail. She almost got everyone inside when a powerful zephyr arrived and blew Brunell's long, straw colored locks out from behind the door. Perplexed, the sixteen-year-old stopped and cocked his head.

"Marta…is that Colette?"

Realizing that she couldn't hide her, she yanked her arm out from the doorway and patted the dirt off her crisp, white dress. Seeing that she needed to play along, the little angel giggled and gripped her hands into fists, bobbing up and down like a fishing lure in a pond. "Uh…yes! Marta and I were just talking!"

Castagnier approached the, anxious and confused. His lime colored eyes grew wide. "For such a long time…about what?"

The two girls suddenly drew a blank and looked towards each other. Tenebrae suddenly materialized out from behind the Katz stand and leaped up to meet Emil's gaze. "She was just talking to Colette about how her and Lloyd are basically in a relationship now…"

Behind the floating dog stood a completely flustered Colette with her face red as a guava. Emil also thought he heard a sudden male scream coming from the school but chalked it up to simply being his imagination. "R-Really? Lloyd's here," Emil questioned, completely missing the point.

"Not now, no. But Lady Marta wanted to meet Colette in secret to talk about it….girls like to do that." The Centurion turned and smiled daintily at fuming Marta and utterly embarrassed Colette.

"Wow…that's great," Emil said happily. "But…it still sounds a little wired to me. I guess I'll never understand girls…" the blonde concluded.

"No, they are the greatest mysteries of them all," Tenebrae said merrily, nudging the blonde away with his cold nose. "Uh, Marta," Emil stuttered as he was being pushed out of Iselia. "I'm going to make you dinner…okay? I thought it'd be nice,"

Marta ran and tossed Tenebrae aside. "Wha…what? Dinner, you mean it?"

"Yeah…what gels do you like?"

She blinked. "Gels?"

"Yeah…apple, lemon, pineapple, orange…mélange?"

Marta laughed and rubbed the back of her head. "Maybe…you should cook something with more…substance…" Emil looked up suddenly and traced a finger along his collarbone in thought. "Oh…well, now that you mention it…it would be nice to eat something other than gels…and we do know all those recipes from the Wonder Chef…"

"Yeah! Can you make some quiche?"

"Sure," Emil said. "Alright, I'll be back in Altamira cooking…hey Regal…can I use the kitchen?" The blue-haired man nodded happily and said, "Of course. I could take you out on a boat to catch some fish for dinner as well…I did promise you, right?"

Emil blushed and nodded. "Wow…thanks Regal…you really do sound like my father…"

Regal didn't mind the comment now, and nodded his head.

"Yes…Let's go, Emil…"

Marta ran back to the Altamira hotel room quickly and with great speed, like a horse who had been fed its favorite sugar. She rushed inside and darted across the coral-colored floor and pushed in the elevator button anxiously. Tenebrae appeared and sat next to her white the elevator shot higher and higher into the darkening sky. "Lady Marta…what do you hope to accomplish with Emil?"

"…what does that mean?"

"I was just making sure that Ratatosk's kindness was not wasted."

She puffed up her brown hair and shook her head, letting strands drape across her cheeks, still slightly sunken from their long journey. "I know, Tenebrae. But don't worry, it wasn't…I know Emil loves me…and I'll always love him…"

Tenebrae was almost moved by his mortal friends words and said slowly, "Lady Marta…" before she opened the door to the hotel room and dashed inside. Emil looked up from setting the table and beamed a handsome smile at his favorite girl ever in the newly united world. "Marta!"

He stepped aside and revealed the food; quiche, cakes, rice, and sushi all sat upon the ornate table provided by Regal Bryant.

"Oh, Emil…this is so great!"

He blushed and shook his head. "No…not really," he said. She noticed his voice was becoming a tad higher after the journey, but not much. He was still easily embarrassed and a little cowardly, but he was much braver. "Oh, Emil…" she cooed as she ran close to him and embraced him, smelling the salt on his flesh from fishing earlier with Regal. "You actually went fishing?"

He nodded. "Yeah, for the sushi…" he said, noticing the fact that Marta was close to him, breathing on his collarbone. "M…Marta…don't you want to eat? It's been a while since we've had an actual dinner…" he said slowly. She nodded and pushed away from him.

"Yeah, let's eat," she said, jumping up excitedly. "It almost looks too good to…I almost feel guilty," she joked, making Emil laugh.

"Hey Marta…"

"Yes?"

"You like that romantic stuff, right," he questioned, sounding so unsure that Marta almost burst out laughing at his question. Emil backed up and began to pout as she giggled crazily at his question. As it turned into a full-out laugh, he stepped back and pouted. "What do you think," she asked as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Of course I do, but if you feel uncomfortable…don't force yourself to do anything, okay? Just being with you is like a dream to me…" she purred, watching his face turn crimson.

"Th…Thank you…" he said. "Don't be mad at me…but I actually didn't have anything planned."

She smiled and hugged him. "I know Emil."

"We…should eat…"

"Okay!"

The two teens sat down across from one another and ate peacefully and, for the first time ever, being able to enjoy one another's company without monsters, Decus, Alice, or even Brute. It was just the two of them. "I still don't get something…" Emil asked, taking a sip of water. "You said Lloyd and Colette were in a relationship…so that means Lloyd is still around…I wonder why he didn't come and see me," he asked himself, putting another spoonful of wild rice in his mouth slowly. "I wonder if he doesn't like me anymore…"

"He's actually coming to see you," Marta chimed happily as she watched the utterly surprised boyfriend almost choke. Through small giggles, she reached over the table and handed him a napkin. He mumbled a thanks and Marta continued.

"He was on his way to the Tower of Salvation to meet up with Yuan. When I told him you were back, he jumped at the chance to meet you." He grinned, still in disbelief. He also blushed horribly at the fact that anyone would ever want to see him exclusively and nodded. "Wow…Lloyd is so great."

"Isn't he?"

"…not as great as you, Marta," he said, leaning over the table to kiss her. She yipped in surprise as their lips connected briefly, a feeling of sudden warmth and tenderness running thought her veins. She put a hand over her mouth and watched in pure surprise as he backed away, just now realizing what he had done. "S-Sorry!," he muttered, scooting his chair back and nervously looking over his shoulder. "I…have no idea how that happened…"

"No, it's fine! That, that was so romantic, Emil…" she said slowly, cocking her head in confusion at the romantic gesture. "Why don't you do that stuff more often?" Emil blushed and looked back up at her, head hanging low and green eyes peering over his fist, which seconds earlier, he had pressed to his mouth. Lualdi had finished her food and walked over to Emil, slipping her hand into his.

"Go ahead and tell me!"

"Well…I guess I was so happy about Lloyd and, well, actually being alive with you, that it just kind of happened," he said as he pulled some strands of bright blonde hair away from his slightly tanned cheeks. "But…you thought…it was romantic?"

"Yes, I should make you happy all the time so that you kiss me everyday!" She jumped off the seat and slapped her gloved hands on either of his shoulders, leaning in and pressing their lips together once again in their most passionate, loving kiss to date. The butterflies in Emil's stomach were now racing around, making is whole body tense. "M…Marta…"

"Emil?"

"W…what?"

"You're Emil, right now. Not Ratatosk, not Aster. We didn't know if this would ever happen. You aren't going to disappear anymore, you're here, and more importantly, you're yourself. I watched the whole thing, and loved you every second."

"Marta…"

"I love you…Emil. Is it…okay if you spend all of your time with me before we go back to Luin."

"No," Emil said bluntly. Marta jumped back in surprise and fumbled to catch her footing, almost slipping onto the floor. "Wh-what?" she stammered, unable to find words. "E-Emil! After all we've been through, and you said you loved me! I…I don't-" she continued, but stopped when the blonde sixteen-year-old placed a finger against her lips and stared at her with completely serious, yet loving eyes. A small and straightforward smile graced his lips, the same smile she saw on the first day they had met.

"I want to spend all my time with you, even _**after**_ I see my aunt and uncle in Luin…" She blinked and found herself breathless again.

"E…Emil! Really? That's…so manly…" she laughed, trying to hide her blush with a sweet as candy giggle. Emil nodded, looking away sheepishly. "Well…thanks. I'm glad…"

Emil looked at Marta again as she nodded in response to his answer and leaned in again for a slower, even more passionate kiss. "Marta…" he breathed slowly as both sets of lips crushed together intensely. The brown haired girl moaned and tilted her head, lifting her arms pathetically and running her hands through his soft, blonde hair. "Emil…I…"

"Please don't forget about me," a cranky voice suddenly voice from the upper corner of the Altamira hotel room. The two teens looked up in sync to see Tenebrae's dog-like form materializing in the corner, tail wagging and red eyes glowing like smoldering embers. "Please, I can still see and hear just fine. Don't pretend I'm not here and, also, don't pretend I'm some elderly dimwit…" Marta's kind face turned into one of pure scorn as she grabbed a vase from the nightstand and hurled it right at the Centurion's head, who in turn, dodged it effortlessly like a bullfighter.

"Tenebrae! Way to ruin the mood!"

"How rude," he began, using his tail to clean of the dirty water that had flown from the vase. "If you must scold me, you must also scold Lloyd and Sheena. They've been hiding in the vent, watching to longer than I have. Please don't punish me and ignore them," Tenebrae said. He chuckled when Emil, who had been laughing softly, turned to the vent to conform Tenebrae's claim and saw two sets of eyes widen and vanish behind the screen. "You…you guys…"

Marta grabbed her spinner and flipped towards the thin metal sheets, blades soaring and cutting the air stupendously. _**"Radiant Gale!"**_

The metal was cut on contact and two bodies spilled from the seams of the ventilation, one clothed in red, the other in lavender. Emil stepped back in disbelief when he saw it was his friend who was spying on him. "Lloyd!" The brown haired adult stood and brushed pale gray dust from his paprika colored outfit, beaming him a joyful smile when he saw the blonde's face.

"You really did make it back! See, I'm so glad I didn't say goodbye…" he trailed of, setting a large hand on the other teen's shoulder and squeezing. Emil blinked as the older man's grip tightened and looked up to see thankful chocolate colored eyes staring back at him. "Welcome back."

"T-Thank you," Emil stuttered bashfully, knee-deep in disbelief that he was saying this to Lloyd, not only because he thought he would be closed in the Ginnungagap, but also because he had once sworn this man was his enemy. "Lloyd…is it okay…that you're stopping on your way to the Tower of Salvation?"

"Of course. You're way more important, Emil!"

Tenebrae smiled at the chummy meeting and turned to Sheena, still trying to brush off the ample amounts of dust she had collected on her shoulder from crawling through the vents. "Tenebrae…I made the pact," she said in a whisper, obviously still worn out from her journey.

"I thank you. We're they reluctant?"

"No, not at all! Richter is actually a pretty okay guy…when he isn't trying to kill Marta…" she half-laughed. She nodded to the approving Centurion of Darkness and then ran over to Emil.

"Emil!"

"Sheena! How are you?"

"_**Ratatosk and Richter…looks like we will see them again. I may not be happy with it, but Ratatosk is still trapped since he separated into a core and human body. It'll be good to see him…and Aqua as well. Now, Richter…if it makes Emil happy…I'll put up with it. He deserves this."**_

-END-

Nervous about Sheena's plan. Flame if you don't like.


	6. A missing guest

Title: After the Sun Shined

Disclaimer: ToS2 is not mine, the game, series, and lovely characters belong to Namco.

…you know the drill…the pairing is Emil x Marta. Well well…it's almost time for the final chapters…then I'll be doing other Tales fanfictions. Of course…I'll never stop writing Tales fanfictions, ever, but maybe I'll do some fanfics for the first game only…? Perhaps. Enjoy guys and thanks for the support! X3

I love hearing from you guys…as fake as it sounds, you guys push me on. Here we go!

-START-

"Genis and Raine are doing the decorations that Seles picked out, Zelos is going to handle the cake, Lloyd is busy distracting Emil, Presea and Regal are getting the banner ready, and Colette is…" Marta slowly said, glancing off into the corner to see the blonde maiden patting Tenebrae on the head lovingly, giggling at the cute way he shook his head and wagged his tail. "Second thought…she's fine," Lualdi laughed, grabbing the pen that was tucked behind her ear and checking small boxes on her list one by one. Aunt Flora stood timidly in the corner with Alba behind her, her hands clenched tightly against her chest. She moved closer to the girl, her red hair bobbing right above her shoulders.

"Marta…it's Marta, right…?"

"Yes?"

"I…I'm so…sor…sorr…" she stuttered. Uncle Alba came forth and squeezed her shoulders in gentle consolation.

"Thank you for doing this…for Emil. We're…so sorry." Marta smiled and sat the board down, throwing her hands behind her back and turning to them with a bright smile on her face.

Grinning, she said, "Thanks…but I'm not the one you need to say sorry to…okay?" She turned away from them quickly, not waiting for a response, and clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright guys…Lloyd's going to be here any minute with Emil. Let's do our best to make this the best day ever," she cheered, throwing her fist up in the air. Everyone complied with a strong '_**Yes!**_' and turned back to their jobs. Marta was about to go back outside to keep watch when she noticed a missing, lilac-clad ninja. "Huh? Where's Sheena?"

Tenebrae's ears twitched and he ran out of Colette's grasp and to the front door when a perplexed teenager stood. "Tenebrae, do you know where Sheena is? I never gave her a job, but I know she wouldn't just run off…did you tell her to do something?" she asked when she saw a mysterious twinkle in the Centurion's eye. She faced him and kneeled down to meet his gaze. "What's going on…?"

"Lady Marta, I did give Sheena a job. You may not like it, but because all the Centurions are under Ratatosk's control, what I am doing is fully possible." Marta nodded and glanced back inside the inn to make sure nobody was listening. She then descended the stairs with dog-like apparition and awaited his surprise.

"So Tenebrae, what's the surprise?"

"You know Sheena is a summoner, correct? She's grown extremely powerful since her journey with Lloyd, and because of her immense power, I simply asked her to make a pact with Ratatosk and Richter so they could see Emil again."

Marta's face went completely white. "What? Won't the gate to Niffelheim open!"

"Not quite," the Centurion corrected. "Lord Ratatosk's power has grown exponentially with the return of all his Centurions, including Aqua. Because of Emil leaving, Ratatosk has returned to a core. If Sheena summons him, his core will remain guarding the door, but his soul will be in Aster's body, like Emil's. The Centurions will guard the door for him while he is away, but he will have limited powers because he has left his core behind."

Marta nodded, beating the information into her brain as best she could. "So, in short, Ratatosk will be summoned with a body and personality, but no power, because his core is still with Richter…and then the Centurions will guard the door for a short while?"

"That is correct."

"What about Richter…he can't leave with the core…right?" she questioned as she rocked to the right and put a hand on her hip.

"He can as long as the core isn't hurt. The Centurions will let him go and, as long as the core is not destroyed, the protection of the gate is not lost…"

"So as long as the core is intact…the door will be guarded…because Ratatosk is alive?"

"Yes, for a short while. She can summon them whenever she wants, but they cannot stay for longer than two days at a time," he concluded, sitting down on the ground and wagging his tail. "Lady Marta, do you understand?"

"Yes…" she began, blue eyes clouded with confusion. "But I didn't know the Centurions were so powerful when they were all together…it almost sounds like Ratatosk sleeping was just laziness on your part…"

"How rude."

Marta laughed at Tenebrae's stuffiness and patted his head to apologize. She was about to run back inside when Sheena appeared with two males following behind her, each clothed in the same outfits they were when the journey ended. Ratatosk's red eyes glowed happily when he saw Marta and Richter, with the jewel glittering on his forehead, actually stopped short of her and looked down at the dirt.

"It's…you…" Marta stuttered, ready to defend herself.

"I'm sorry…Aster's life was not an excuse…to turn this world into the demonic realm…he was such an idealist…I should have known he wouldn't have wanted that."

"Richter…" Marta muttered, eyes widening in disbelief.

"Where's Emil…" the redhead questioned, still flustered from the apology. Ratatosk smirked at him and walked up beside him, taunting him by laughing and pulling on a strand of his hair.

"Wanted to get the apology over with that badly, huh?"

"Be quiet," Richter hissed, pushing on his glasses.

Ratatosk nodded and decided to leave Richter alone to bask in his humiliation as he waltzed over to Marta, a grin never leaving his face. "Hello, Marta."

"R…Ratatosk…?"

"You're okay with me being here, right?" he questioned, suddenly seeming self-conscious of himself. "I was so happy about coming back and seeing Emil…that I didn't think about you," he mumbled, face turning slightly red. "If you want me to, I'll go…"

"Of course not! Ratatosk, you helped us so much! You're another part of Emil, and you're a good person by yourself also…there's no reason for me to hate you," she tweeted merrily, rushing forward and embracing the familiar body with so much force that she almost knocked him down. "Same with you, Richter," she added, staring at the redhead over Ratatosk's shoulder. "When I found out you had your reasons, I couldn't bring myself to truly despise you. I think…Emil must have rubbed off on me a little too much…"

This made the two spirits chuckle.

"You both deserve to be here…let's give Emil a show he'll never forget," she cheered.

"Hey, that's my line…" Zelos said as he emerged from the inn happily with Seles by his side, looking healthy as ever.

"Woah…never thought I'd see you two back in my neck of the woods," the Chosen said happily as Seles looked at them and curtsied sweetly.

"Please don't tell Emil," Lualdi pleaded. "It's a surprise."

"That's actually what I came to talk to you about, Marta dear. I just got word from Lloyd that while they were in Palmacoasta that he lost sight of him."

"_**W…WHAT!"**_

"I know, total disaster, right? Apparently he stopped to talk to Chocolat—"

"Chocolat?"

"Ah, right. Never mind, but Lloyd turned back to introduce Emil and he was gone. He probably ended up wandering off by himself, you know, because he didn't know about the party." Marta shrank back and slammed her face into her palm. Zelos nodded at her agony and sighed deeply, obviously worried. "At least…Lloyd _said_ he wandered off…but Emil doesn't seem like the kind of guy that would just run off without warning. I think we should be thinking about the possibility that somebody called Emil over." Ratatosk looked up the stairs and put a hand on his hip.

"Well, just ask that Flora woman if anyone else who lives in Luin went to Palmacoasta…it's a small town, right? If anyone leaves, everybody's going to know…" he said as he turned to Tenebrae and nodded. "If you hear anything, can you report to Lloyd?"

The black Centurion nodded and followed his lady up the stairs. "As you wish, Lord Ratatosk."

Marta charged back inside and ran over to the flustered woman in the corner who, despite her best efforts, was trying to steady her voice. "Aunt Flora! Aunt Flora!" she called, running up to her and grabbing her by her shoulders. "Aunt Flora…did anyone from Luin travel to Palamcoasta today…did anyone board a ship in Izoold?" The older woman's eyes widened at the sudden question and the speed at which they were fired at her. "Please…we can't find Emil…"

She gasped and nodded, clearing her throat. "I…I heard that Dida and Moll left today…to go to Palmacoasta…they got a job there cleaning ships. Is…has something happened to my Emil…?"

"_**Her…Emil? She doesn't know that the real Emil died…and that Ratatosk's conscience became her nephew…"**_

"W…Well? Can't you answer me…?"

"_**But she really does love him…so it doesn't matter…Emil is just a name…it's not an exclusive person…"**_

"T-Thank you," Marta stuttered as she ran out the door to Tenebrae, who was seated patiently on the porch. "Tenebrae—"

"I heard, Lady Marta. Don't worry, I'll go to Palmacoasta right now and inform Lloyd." Tenebrae vanished and an inky black cloud took his place, shooting across the bright blue sky like a comet. Marta stared up at it, feeling a sudden, somber sadness consume her like a powerful ocean wave.

_Emil Castagnier…the real one, who was born with that name…it may be wrong to say thins, and you may not think it's right…_

_But thank you so much…thank you._

-END-

I'm getting reviews about how the characters act very…well, "In character." I'm happy to hear it…because I tried super hard. XD

Once again, thanks for all the reviews and compliments…I'm making the story longer…and there will be lemons for the final chapter. (Emil—NOT RTATOSK—lemons…it's going to be a challenge…but fun.) There was no Emil in this chapter…darn. XD

Read and Review!


	7. I poured my heart into this

Title: After the Sun Shined

Disclaimer: Tales belongs to Namco, not me.

Rating: T

Pairing: Emarta~~~ (Hits of Colloyd)

Author's Notes: Twilight Palace is done…I never get tired of those darned Kitty Kats. XD

One step closer to LEMONS. :D ((Lots of bromance in the chapter though…I like writing for Lloyd too much.))

Yay! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed…its super special to me. Sorry for such lame updates…I'm on the school newspaper and I'm currently on a story. Sorry…please hang in there with me.

-START-

Two boys seized Emil by his shoulders and dragged him away from Lloyd. Just as Castagnier was about to call for his friend, a rough hand flew over his mouth and sealed his lips. His green eyes opened as he tried to whip his head over his shoulders, but a hand smacked him across the check. He yelped in pain as the predator placed another hand over his eyes and pulled him along.

"_Why isn't anyone noticing," _Emil pondered, almost too scared to think. _"Kinda think of it…I didn't see too many people in town…there must be something doing on by the docks…"_ he rationalized, suddenly realizing how much his face was stinging.

He felt himself being dragged through the town and into a building. When a cool blast of musty smelling air hit him, he knew he had ended up in the town's temple. _"The Temple? Why am I…?"_

"I knew it, you're always out to make us look bad, aren't you?" a voice asked in a harsh tone that could have curdled milk. Emil blinked and turned around to see two teenage silhouettes framed in the archway of the temple against bright, beach sun. They looked identical in height and shape, and even when they spoke, their voices resembled one another's greatly.

"Looks like he managed to drag himself back to the village after all…"

"I heard he stopped a revolt in Altamira. He must be trying to make us look bad after we made fun of him so much."

"How stupid…"

Emil's eyes finally adjusted to the harsh light, his heart pounding loudly as he made out their faces. "D…Dida, Moll…" he stammered, suddenly frightened. He gripped the scarf around his neck and shrank back, like he was trying to vanish into the cold floor. "Why…are you both in Palmacoasta?" The twins scoffed haughtily as they stepped towards him, slowly closing the door to the temple. "What…are you both doing," he asked, unsure why his voice was shaking. He had fought countless foes that were way more powerful than the two teens in front of them. However, there was something about them that made his stomach churn more than any amount of blood one of his unlucky enemies had lost. Something that made his mint-colored eyes dilate and his blood run cold as winter snow.

"What's wrong…did you want something?"

They laughed and lunged at him before Emil had the chance to blink. Dida ran behind him and locked his arms while Moll raised his muscular arm and punched him across the face. "Idiot, did you really think you would get away with humiliating us!" He punched him in the stomach, Emil's eyes widening as the stinging pain in his gut spread to his chest.

"He's even friends with Lloyd the Great—what a fraud," Dida complained, tossing him to the side like a ragdoll so hard that he rolled into the altar. The candlesticks crashed on his back and broke across his spine, sending tiny shards of wax skidding across the uneven floor. "Aw, I was looking for a challenge. I thought he was supposed to be strong…" Dida complained again, crossing his arms across his chest curtly and looking to his twin who, in turn, closed his eyes and shook his head.

"To think we were afraid of him after he defeated that moron from the Church of Martel. It had to be fixed…"

"_Even though…I no longer have Ratatosk's power…I could still seriously hurt them if I fought back…" _he recalled as he was kicked in the side, making him yelp like a dog.

"_I can't fight them...I can hold out until they get tired. I'm a lot stronger now, I don't need to hurt others to get what I want…"_

"Aw man, he's not giving in..."

"Hey don't sweat it," the other replied, reaching for something behind his back. He pulled out a thick, leather pouch and reached inside to reveal a long dagger. Castagnier spied it and sighed, still breathing hard from having the wind knocked out of him. "This'll really test him…we'll see if he's really all bark and no bite."

Emil blinked and was suddenly consumed with anger. He stood despite the sharp pain in his side and yelled, "**I'm not a dog! If you want me to fight you, I'll prove my strength!" **

He unsheathed his sword and held in out in from of him like a king would hold out his rapier to a loyal subject. He pointed it towards Dida's neck and twirled it impressively to obtain a better grip. _"I still have Nether Traitor…" _he remembered, seeing the powerful blade glow in front of him and radiant a powerful and radiant energy that seemed to light the dark temple with an invisible warmth. _"If they want me to show them my powers, then I will."_

The twins stepped back, consumed by fear like a powerful ocean wave consumes a small shell on the shore. They shook and looked at each other nervously, as if they have never expected him to fight back. Their faces looked as if they'd fired a bullet into a scrap of paper and watched it bounce back into the ground. "Woah, hey man…"

"C-Calm down…we weren't serious or anything…"

Emil shook his head and stepped forward, his navy shoe kicking up a small cloud of gray dust. As he watched them, he remarked modestly, "I'm sorry…but I am strong. I'm a human being, not a dog. You were seriously going to hurt me…"

"No…no we…"

"Yes. If you want proof, I'll show you my weakest attack and let you judge for yourselves…" he whispered, green eyes now brimming with a strong confidence that was unshakable. Dida and Moll clearly noticed and backed into the wall. "I'm not a coward anymore. I'm still myself, only stronger."

"Emil…?"

"I don't want to hurt either of you, and I won't…"

"_**EMIL!"**_

A lean shadow danced across the ceiling of the Martel church, two swords catching the small rays of sunlight that escaped through the bottom of the door. A man in a paprika colored coat rushed towards them and jumped above them, slicing the air between the two twins with just enough force to make them jump away from the blonde. "What are you both doing! Get away from him," Lloyd said, stepping in front of Emil and swinging his Material Blade around his waist. "Emil…you okay?"

"Yeah…" he said, looking down at the ground sadly. Lloyd's happiness only lasted a mere second because, moments later, he turned his attention back to the twins who were currently attempting to flee the church. He lunged forward and prepared to attack when a hand caught his brown suspender, yanking him back so hard that he collapsed on the floor. "Hey…what are you doing?"

"It's okay…its okay…" Emil said, standing up and brushing the dust off his navy colored coat. The older man swiveled around and stared at him, knee deep in confusion. "Just let them go back to Luin. They didn't hurt me badly, and I know that my attitude towards them is what made them target me, so don't worry…"

"What are you talking about?" Lloyd almost yelled. "Nobody should be made fun of for how they act…that's just like persecution against half-elves just because of their race! Or ever worse—persecuting the Sylvaranti. You know I can't sand that kind of behavior." Castagnier smiled at the man's ignorance and became to walk out of the church when he turned and leaned against the wall, hands pressed to his back.

"When I lived here, Lake Sinoa was dried up and I heard Tenebrae's howl. Because I was the only one who heard it, people thought I was the one who was summoning monsters to the lakebed. On top of that, I still thought of you as a murderer, and didn't swear allegiance to you. That's when Richter showed up. I don't care if they make fun of me, because when I left the town…I left them. If the real Emil had never been killed, if Aster had never been killed…I never would have met Marta. I proved to them that I wasn't a dog, and really, that's all that matters. I wouldn't know any of you if I had never been hated."

Lloyd watched, amazed and astonished by how Emil treated his situation with absolute openness and calmness.

"Because I was hated, I became loved. Not just by Marta…but by all of you. You guys are so strong Lloyd…and I want to thank you for helping me." Emil blushed and lowered his head, looking at Lloyd sheepishly. "Ha…I guess that was a pretty lame speech, huh?"

"…You're so strong, Emil!" Lloyd said, rushing towards the sixteen-year-old and wrapping his arms around his shoulders tightly, rubbing his cheek against Emil's flaxen blonde hair. "Man, I just can't stand it…you're so strong that you turned a past filled with abuse into a future full of hope. That's the kind of justice I can really get used to!"

"_Justice?"_

"Lloyd, you're confusing me with you, you're way stronger than me," Castagnier retorted, punching Lloyd's shoulder playfully.

"Nu-uh! I can't even compete with you."

"…Thank you."

They pulled apart seconds later, smiling at one another like two brothers. Dozens of people had gathered around the entrance to peer inside and investigate what had made two teenagers run for their lives like idiots. When they saw Irving and Castagnier beaming bright smiles and walking out of the building, whatever doubts remained concerning Lloyd's kindness evaporated. There was no malice in his eyes, no smell of blood, and no scowl upon his visage. He had cleared his name without saying a word and, silent as usual, he and his friend departed for home.

"So Lloyd," Emil asked, looking over that the brown-haired man happily and brimming with curiosity. "We're good friends…right?"

"Yeah, of course!" Lloyd nodded happily, looking like he was proud to admit it, which had only lifted Emil's spirits further.  
"Then…I want to ask you a personal question…is that good?" Lloyd shrugged his shoulders indifferently as they entered a thick forest, watching carefully for any monsters that may be lingering behind the thick trees. "I was just wondering…you know that person you talked with in Flanoir? You know, Colette?" The nineteen-year-old glanced at him suspiciously as the sentence left his lips, turning around and frowning. "How did you know?"

The blonde was caught off guard and stepped back. "Uh…well…"

"You watched us? Geez, how can you yell at me for spying on you from a stupid vent when you spied on me before our journey even ended! At least you guys confessed in private!" When the sentence escaped his lips, a gloved hand flew to his mouth. Emil giggled and pranced on, happy with Lloyd's answer.

"I knew you guys confessed! That's all I wanted to verify…"

Lloyd paled and chased after the younger teen, trying to stop his ranting before they entered the city. "E-Emil! That's dirty," he spat, blushing the color of a strawberry. Tenebrae, who materialized at the entrance to the town, also heard the comment and stifled a laugh with his long, black tail.

"My my…such a perfect match. Our Collapsing Colette is paired up with our infamous bumbling idiot. I must say, the gods of fate may have predetermined this from the start…" he chuckled, causing Emil to laugh even more. Lloyd, in return, pointed to his new friend and began shouting, not caring that he was a thousand times louder than the Centurion.

"**Oh yeah! At least I'm not some pervert who sits in baths with girls like Zelos!"**

A sudden silence consumed the small town as the door to the inn opened and Marta, Sheena, and Genis rushed out at the sound of Lloyd's voice. A certain redhead leaned over the terrace a few seconds later, handsome face laced with depression. "Woah, woah Bud, where's the love!"

"And…and that was not my fault," Emil objected, the townspeople now shaking their heads in sadness and disappointment that the boy they had grown to love so much was just a run-of-the-mill peeping tom. "I mean…I didn't ask for it!"

Tenebrae was about to make a horribly inappropriate comment when a certain Lezareno president shoved a piece of cake into the Centurion's mouth to silence him. Sheena smiled at Regal and walked to the front, patting Emil's shoulder and pulling him into the building. "Alright, alright, that's enough. Emil, Marta's prepared a surprise party for you."

Emil was suddenly distracted from the argument when Marta bobbed her head softly and walked over to him, grasping his hands lovingly. "Marta…" he hesitated. "Is…is that true? You did this all for me?" he asked, the sensitive teen's voice shaking with emotion. The blue-eyed girl nodded and stepped aside, revealing and elaborately (and slightly messily) colored banner and a cake that nearly touched the ceiling.  
"Yeah! We all chipped in. We wanted this to be a great day for you, Emil…."she muttered sweetly as she placed both hands behind her back and began to swing back and forth, eyes staring at the ground. "Do…do you like it?"

Emil exhaled loudly and squeezed Marta's hands gingerly, like their hands were the bridge that connected their two beings. "Y-Yes. This is amazing guys….I can't believe you did all this for me…" he said, looking around the room to see dozens of faces smiling back at him happily, eyes screaming with joy. "You guys are amazing…thank you."

"Well, alrighty then," Zelos cheered suddenly in his usual loud shrill. "Now that Bud has become best friends with Emil…I think it's safe to say that you've earned the right of being my second Bud!" He turned in dramatic circles and pointed at the frightened blonde who had started using his love as a shield against the unpredictable Chosen.

"What…huh!"

"So, Bud #2, you can rest safely knowing that you've been recognized by the wise, beautiful, and divine Zelos Wilder!" Presea, who had been listening from the back corner of the room, approached Tethe'alla's chosen one slowly.

"Zelos, please do not frighten Emil. It is okay to frighten Lloyd because he can take it, but you are going to scare Emil."

"I agree," Tenebrae piped in, having devoured the cake Regal had shoved into his mouth.

"Still, I do believe the title suits him very well. Emil Castagnier…Bud #2…hohoho, it fits rather well. Don't you agree, Emil?"

"What…why is this happening to me!"

"And it is not okay for you to call me Bud," Irving finally spat as he stomped his foot. "My name is Lloyd! L-L-O-Y-D!" he said, tracing the letters in the air for emphasis on his point, which Zelos completely ignored.

"Haha, Lloyd," Genis said, shrugging his shoulders. "You got rejected again!"

"Hey, shut up Genis!"

"Here Emil, try this Gratin I made. I've been testing out my cooking ever since you came back so I could make you a fantastic dinner!" Marta exclaimed, passing her love another plate of food while the others talked upstairs about everything from Lloyd's escapades and Aster. Emil looked up the wooden staircase and saw his aunt peeking over the side, watching him sadly. When his green eyes locked on her, she gasped and turned away, her skirts kicking up over the banister.

"_Aunt Flora…"_ he thought sadly, remembering the day he'd set foot back in Luin prior to stopping the revolt in Altamira. She's hadn't said anything to him since his arrival, but the two certainly treated him with a lot of newfound respect and silent deference. Uncle Alba, who had abused and beaten the boy countless times, didn't find the courage to stay long after the teen's arrival. He had gone to the lakebed without saying a word to anyone.

"And here—this is Fried Rice! I made some Sukiyaki to go with it, and for desert, Colette showed me how to make a Fruit Cocktail!" More and more food was shoved into Emil's lap while he continued to daydream about his adoptive family. "Hey…Emil? Emil! Are you listening!" the girl roared, grabbing his shoulder and turning his head around to meet her own. She pouted and pointed to the stacks of plates she had placed before him, yelling, "You're so mean…I poured my heart into this just for you. I wanted to give you all your favorite things, but all you can do is sit there and daydream!"

Emil 'ah'ed and shook his head frantically, picking up the closest clean spoon and sampling the piles of professionally plates meals, each entrée slowly being tasted by the blonde. "Sorry Marta…I was just imagining something…"

"Imagining something?' she asked, tracing a finger down from the top of her cheek to the bottom of her chin. "Really? Was it about me?"

"Uh…no. It was about my…my aunt and uncle," he said slowly, returning his gaze to the top of the staircase where, yet again, his aunt rushed away from him. "I guess they're still afraid of me…"

"Emil?"

"I can understand. I mean, I guess I am way more powerful than I was before, and being friends with the Heroes of Regeneration doesn't exactly make me look weak," he said as his head hung between his shoulders in depression. "Marta…"

The former Vanguard perked up at the sound of her name and rushed to his side. She passed a certain Centurion who hid in the shadows of the inn as the sun became to sink into an ebony sea of darkness. Tenebrae lingered in the corner, sitting on the ground swaying his tail steadily. He watched, quiet as his own shadow.  
The girl approached him and circled him to try and get a better look at his expression. She reached up and put her hand on his cheek, rubbing it tenderly and wrapping her other arm around his waist. "Yes," she responded, pressing her lips against his collar.

"…Marta…" he said again, hugging her back and running his fingers through her long, light brown hair. "…thank you for being so nice to me. I don't think I'd ever had evolved into this person without your help. I'm going to talk to my aunt and uncle tomorrow…"  
Lualdi nodded and cuddled her love like a mother would cradle her first child. "But you didn't evolve into anything. You're still the same Emil, only you've busted out of your shell. You can't thank me for that. Okay?"

"Yeah…"

"Let's go back to Altamira…it won't take long if we get on the boat…and you're room is full."

"Sure."

-END-

Emil's VA is showing up in so many video games…like Sakura Wars: so Long My Love and in Fragile Dreams where he has a shounen-ai kiss scene. Hearing Emil scream "T-That was my first kiss ever!" brought joy to my heart…check the games out please~~~

Finally…

_**Emil has obtained the title Bud #2!**_

_So you've befriended the great Zelos Wilder and become the second Bud. What else can we say? Best of luck._


	8. Lemon

Title: After the Sun Shined

Pairing: Emarta~~~

Disclaimer: Tales is Namco's, not mine. Please give them credit for everything except the fanfiction itself.

Rating: M (Explicit sex)

So, it's here. After almost ten chapters, we finally get some lemons between these two. Why they didn't animate a kiss between them I'll never know (…maybe because they're going bankrupt? Yet you can do full body skits in Graces? Hm…..). This'll be interesting, but it needs to be done. Like, seriously. NEEDS. :D

Enjoy!

_**Mature audiences only for this chapter. The rest of the fanfic is K / T rated, so the rating will not change. If you can't handle it, close the window and wait for the next chapter where a short summary will be provided. If you can handle it…why are you still reading this? Get to the story! XD**_

_**ALSO: Also, Emil's ENGLISH VA is the lead of a band called Eyeshine. Marta's husband to be will now be going on gigs. XD**_

-START-

Two bodies slammed onto the bed loudly, the male's body on top and gently pushing the female body further into the mattress. Although the blonde teen was on top, he was obviously being pulled down by the long, slender arms that encircled his waist. He gasped breathlessly as the girl continued to kiss his lips rapidly. The kisses were not long and passionate, but short, like a fleeting flame. She would kiss his lips dozens of times in fast succession, and then trail them down his neck and his bare collarbone.

"I…I love you," she confessed, crushing their lips together again.

"I…and I love you too…" Emil cried blissfully between the kisses, bright eyes now clouded with faint traces of raw lust. The tips of her fingers danced nimbly across his spine until she found the zipper that held his navy coat up. She let Emil breathe shortly before she pulled the metal strap open and unlocked the striped straps around his shoulders. As his tan skin became exposed to the cool night air, he shivered and sat up. She smirked at the obvious pleasure he felt and ran her fingers through his flaxen hair as she pulled the blonde completely onto the bed, rolling him over so that she was on top. "I know the man is supposed to be on top…but trust me on this one, 'kay?"

"_H…How did this happen?" _Emil asked himself as the anxious girl pulled down the fabric further to reveal his bare chest. She kissed the middle, using her tongue to make his gasps turn into screams. She took a hardened nipple into her mouth, massaging it gingerly with her mouth. _"How exactly did we get into this?"_

"_**Wow, that didn't take nearly as long as I thought!" Lualdi exclaimed as she entered their hotel room sleepily, almost stumbling on her way over to the shower. Seeing that she was going to fall, he quickly seized her wrist and unconsciously pulled her against her against his slender core. He beamed a handsome smile down at her. **_

"_**Hey, don't run so fast. The shower won't run away from you, you know…" he joked, laughing at himself. Marta smiled and nodded, reaching up and unwrapping the dark-colored scarf from around his neck slowly. "Wait…what are you…?"**_

"_**It's time to get undressed. After all, it is late…and you look tired," she said innocently, an adjective that was undoubtedly opposite of her actions. "Hey, Emil?" she purred, throwing the cloth on the ground and resting a hand on his cheek.**_

"_**H-Huh?"**_

_**After he reacted to the question (which, unbeknownst to her, made his heart drum with delight), she frowned and hit him on the side of the head softly. "What kind of reaction is that! You're supposed to say, 'What is it, my love?' as I watch you with my beautiful, cerulean eyes!"  
Emil cocked his head in confusion, a raspberry hue never leaving his face. **_

"_**Marta…what's going on?" he asked dumbly, his brain suddenly unable to process even the most obvious information. She took out her flower barrettes and let all of her chestnut colored hair swoop over her pale, unblemished cheeks. With a soft click, she sat them down on the nightstand and turned back to him. The moonlight caught her face just as she turned and lit her up angelically, like a painting inside a cathedral. "W…Woah…" he gasped, stepping back as the radiant woman stepped closer to him with her hair flowing behind her like a silky waterfall.**_

"_**Yes?"**_

"_**Uh…nothing," he said under his breath. "So…I'll go get my sleeping bag," he said hurriedly as he swiveled around on his heels and tried to run out of the room before his heart exploded from thumping so hard against his ribcage. He raced to the door only to find that the girl had reached out and thrown herself on top of him, causing them to topple on the ground and end up in a suggestive position.  
"Hey, wait," she said, completely unaware that the way they landed was causing the male teen to harden dramatically. "You want to sleep on the floor! That's not romantic at all! We should celebrate you coming back…and make it really special…"**_

_**He wanted to say something, but his mouth couldn't form words. As the conscience of the spunky Ratatosk, he should have had at least a few words to say. He knew what she was talking about, but oddly enough, wasn't worried. He was extremely embarrassed, aroused, and flustered, but his worry had vanished magically. He only mouthed out her name to himself.**_

"_**Here, why don't you pick me up like a bride, carry me over to the bed, and I'll show you…" she chimed in a slightly lower, more roused voice. Those words echoed through his brain slowly. He made a loud, surprised noise and stared at her like she was joking. His whole face red and his mint-colored eyes grew large as she nodded, confirming his thoughts silently. "I want to. I really want to."**_

"_Oh…that's how…"_ he recalledvividly as the girl continued to trail kisses down to his stomach where she pressed her feverish cheek and slowly reached down to his waistband. He jumped back and stared at her in total shock, but didn't choose to push the girl's hand away. "M…Marta…wait a minute. I don't know if we should…"

"Huh…you don't want to?" she asked sadly. Emil moaned at her sadness and looked away, suddenly realizing just how exposed he was.  
"N…No, it's just…I mean, don't you want to…"

"I want you, you dummy!" she wailed loudly. She stood up on the bed and stomped over to him. With each heavy step, the blonde boy bounced up a few inches. The girl stood above him and pulled off her dress in one, deft motion. She tossed it over his eyes and undid her black stockings while he tried to pull the fabric off his face. He finally freed himself and turned bright red as the girl lifted his chin and pulled him into another kiss. As their lips mingled, she unconsciously began to pull off more of his clothes. Soon, both were completely naked and still kissing passionately. Lualdi was on top holding the boy's head steady while Emil laid below her calmly. "You know…I may like this more," she purred, looking down at Emil seductively.

"Huh…?"

"You being on bottom…you look so cute," she said, giggling as he realized the gravity of the situation. He tried to pull the covers over his body to conceal himself, but Marta snatched them away. "No way…you can't back out now! Besides, after seeing you look like that…I just can't resist!" Emil's eyes widened and he sighed in defeat.

"You really want to…?"

"Yes!"

"Good…because I do as well…" he whispered as he lifted his head and used his strong arms to elevate Marta up into the air and down beside him. As she recovered from the sudden change of position, he leaned over her and, copying her actions, traced his cold fingers down her stomach and teased a nipple with his tongue.

"Ah….ah!" She tossed her head across the surface of the pillow, strands of light brown hair clinging to the sweat on her cheeks. "E-Emil…that's not fair…" He laughed, still blushing from when she'd been on top of him.

"Well, you started it," he fake pouted, leaning over and trailing his lips down her neck and across her pale, white collarbone. She moaned in pleasure again, her body starting to writhe in glee. They gradually kissed and touched one another's bodies until Emil came to Marta's hips which were open and ready for him. He bent down and put his head between her hips licking the tender area cautiously.

"**E…EMIL!"** she screamed, throwing her head over the back of the pillow and letting her back arch in response to the erotic gesture. The scream is what made Emil blush and pull his head back, mint-colored eyes scanning her reddened body. That scream wasn't one of joy…

It was a scream of pure want and need.

Whenever they were in battle and she was badly injured, or when she was almost carried away by the wind in Asgard right beside the mayor's home, the same scream rattled his core each time. It was what she yelled when she needed him more than anything else in the world. It made his whole body shiver as he prepared to enter her. "M…Marta?"

"Hurry," he gasped, a hand placed on her forehead. "Please…please…" She lifted her arms weakly and put them around his neck pulling him down to her face. Emil felt himself turn red (yet again) because he was so close to her face. So close to her, the girl he'd fought beside, protected, laughed with, cried with, and loved.

The two shadows could be seen from the window of the Altamira hotel. The down on top could be seen draped over the smaller one and, as their bodies pressed together in passion, a faint scream could be heard from a distance. The boy fell over after the action repeated and, if one looked closely, you could see two hands clasped together as the activity ended, their heads resting beside one another in comfort.

Not just comfort. The trust that cushioned the couple was rare and beautiful, one that you would hardly ever come across.

-END-

Late update! Forgive me…I'm so sorry…..ugh. School. DX

I hope you liked it at least a little. R&R? ((Sorry it's so short...and doesn't really do them justice.))


	9. You will always be mine

Title: After the Sun Shined

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot of this fanfiction is mine, ToS is property of Namco.

Pairing: Emarta (and large amounts of Zelos…)

Author's Notes: Time for more chapters…it seems to go on forever. What other loose ends do I need to tie up? I'm…not sure. I'd love for this story to go forever! XD

Enjoy!

Brief summary: For those who skipped the short lemon. Emil and Marta have returned to their Altamira hotel room and have gone to bed after confessing, once again, their love for one another. They go to bed soon after, leaving the rest of the gang back at Aunt Flora's house. It's unclear what will happen next in the relationship, but there's no more fear.

-START-

The sun broke through the sheer curtains and shone upon two naked, intertwined bodies. They rested in the bed comfortably, covers and sheets tangled around their limbs. The girl rested her head of chocolate brown hair on her boyfriend's tan chest, which was slightly exposed beneath the covers. His head of pretty, golden hair was slumped back on a pillow with his hand lying beside his face. He had one arm wrapped around the girl's waist and she let her fingers dance over his collar, just like they had the night before.

As the solar rays crept across their faces and into their eyes, two mint-colored orbs opened. Emil sat up and looked around sleepily, at first not remembering what had happened. "M-Marta…" he whispered unconsciously, finding himself blushing.

"_W…why did I just..."_

He turned his head and jumped back at the girl lying next to him, breathing slightly. The rustling of the sheets as he shot back almost awakened Lualdi. She twitched noticeably, and then continued her slumber. Blushing like crazy, the blonde teen put a hand to his forehead and recalled the events from the night before vividly. The scenes rolled smoothly through his memory; Marta kissing him, her pulling off her dress, her teasing him. It was so clear that he could feel his skin crawl from the sensation. He walked over to the dresser and began to slowly dress himself, still lost in a daze of what had happened hours before.

As he fumbled for his clothes and tugged them on, he touched fingers to his lips. "We really…we really…" he said over and over, turning red. He shook his head and pulled the shirt over his head speedily.

"E…Emil…?" a sweet voice called from the bed, causing him to jump. He swiveled around and saw her still asleep, hugging the lacy pillow to her face. She writhed and yawned a little before saying, "Emil…I…"

"_Is she still asleep?" _he said in disbelief, rushing over to her. He kneeled along the bedside and listened for the end of the sentence. _"She'll get mad if she sees me listening, but…"_

She giggled and her face flushed. She fingered the pillow and snuggled into it more. He leaned in and cupped his ear with a hand, hoping to understand her more clearly. As she spoke, her lips move slowly, strands of coffee-colored hand drifted across her supple cheeks. "…Emil…Emil, stop it!" she laughed, rolling over, still asleep.

He had fallen back on the floor loudly. _"She's DREAMING about it!" _he internally screamed. He scrambled to stand when the door to their hotel room opened. By instinct, he ran to the bed and shoved a large pillow from the suite's ottoman over Lualdi's peaceful face. "C-come in!"

Zelos Wilder kicked in the door and pranced inside, his vibrant hair swirling behind his perfectly sculpted body. He spun over to Emil and threw his arms over the teen's shoulders, smirking. "Hey Emil…" he said in a perverted twang that told Emil, to his horror, that The Chosen knew perfectly well what had happened. "We flew down here after we heard about you two…" he purred.

"Zelos…" he shook, now becoming angry. Why was every living soul so hell bent on spying on them? He never had anyone come within three feet of him when he wasn't in a romantic relationship, and suddenly when he wanted to be alone, people seemed to be glued to him! He gripped his fist and flung Zelos off of him, his high voice shouting, "Don't follow us without permission! And how did you get in our room, anyway?" The Chosen flipped over gracefully and removed a ring of keys from his belt.

"You can think our Lezareno President for that…" he taunted, jiggling the jagged shards of metal in the flustered teen's face. As Emil jumped up and down ridiculously trying to snatch the keys away, he laughed and spoke again. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, Bud #2, we followed you because your aunt wanted to talk to you." The blonde froze and let his hands fall to his sides lethargically.

"Aunt…Flora?"

"The red-headed one, yeah. Anyway, she was pretty gloomy when you two left. She'd said that she and some dude named Alba wanted to talk to you," he said, the tone in his voice deepening as he saw Emil's face. It had changed from one of playful aggravation to one of fear. "…Are you going to go?" he asked, leaning close to his face, staring at him with a cynical, crystal-colored gaze.

"…yeah."

"**Excuse me," **an angry voice spat as a pillow was tossed through the small space between the two men's faces. They bounced back and stared in dismay towards the bed where an angry (not to mention naked) Marta shook in rage, one hand holding a white sheet over her chest and another holding Kismet. **"Would you mind telling my WHY a nasty, foul-tasting pillow was shoved in my face and WHY Zelos is in here! Well, Emil!"**

The Chosen and Castagnier barely had time to open their mouths and explain when a razor-sharp spinner danced about the room. The curtains were shredded and the pillows obliterated, sending tiny fireworks of feathers soaring about the room. Zelos ducked idiotically and Emil pressed himself against the wall in fear, hands fastened over his head.

"**YOU PERVERTED CHOOOOOSEN!" **she roared again, seething with anger. Wilder dodged another attack and grabbed the blonde boy by his quivering wrist. He pulled him out of the war-zone with a swift tug and led him into the elevator, hoping to evade the maids and butlers rushing to Marta's aid. Once they were inside, he punched a button and the coral-colored stall slowly dropped down. After twenty or so seconds, the sight had completely vanished. Castagnier sighed and slumped against the back wall with a hand clutching his thumping heart. Zelos let out a snarky chuckle and used the railing to support himself as the elevator plunged them further and further into the Altamira hotel.

"Thanks…Zelos…" he said slowly, swallowing a huge exhale. "I thought I was going to die…" he said, causing The Chosen to nod in return.

"Tell me about it…"

"Where are we going?" Emil asked, seeing another floor emerge in front of them.

"The café, for breakfast. Regal's treat," the redhead said happily, motioning to a table with his thumb. "And you're eating with me!" Castagnier wasn't sure to be frightened or flattered by the offer at first. Yet, Zelos was his friend. Even if he wasn't the smoothest at times, he was an overall good person. He nodded his head and followed Wilder, trying to ignore the copious amount of female stares. As soon as they'd sat down together and begun to go over and discuss the dishes, Emil finally understood Zelos' reason for being so unusually kind.

"So, about last night with Marta…"

"Z-ZELOS!" Emil said, trying to hush him from behind his menu. The older man crossed his arms and shook his head curtly. "Zelos…I really don't think…I mean…"  
"Sorry Emil, but I've got to know. After all, it's a big deal…especially to your friends…" he said, suddenly waving someone else over to their table. Emil blinked and checked over his shoulder to see Sheena approaching them merrily, humming a tune from Mizuho under her breath that resembled the calm, drawn-out notes of flutes.

"Hey guys," she said, pulling up a chair and sitting herself down. "So Emil, what's up? You can't just desert us like that." Emil apologized and Sheena accepted, happy that he'd only apologized once and not a billion times like he used to. "Still…why did you both go? Zelos kind of filled me in but…"

"S-Sheena! Not you too!" he screamed in disbelief, tilting back in his chair at a dangerous angle.

She grimaced and waved her hands madly about the table. "Hey, don't think I'm like that gigolo Chosen! I just want to make sure your relationship is going alright…after all, we did go through so serious emotional turmoil during the trip," he recalled, looking to Zelos for back-up.

"That's right! If I wanted to hear about smut," he started, crossing a leg over his knee and lifting the rim of a cup to take a drink.

"You'd only have to look in a mirror," she remarked smartly. In return, Zelos spewed the water from his mouth and choked at the uncalled for response. "Right, Zelos?"

"Ouch, Jubblies…so harsh…" he wheezed. Emil, through laughs, wiped a tear from his eye and continued joyfully. "Emil, help your bud out!"

"Well...if that's all you want to know, sure."

"**Whoa, don't ignore me!" **he cried in agony. His shrill plea earned him a well-deserved punch in the stomach from Sheena.

"So…we came back and Marta, basically, told me that …she really loved me, and nothing else mattered. Everything is going so great for her now, and she was really happy, that's all," he said, taking a sip of iced tea. "It was really nice, actually. I'm so used to being unloved that it was kind of a surreal experience," he added in, unconsciously. Zelos cleared his throat and leaned over, a mocking smirk decorating his visage.  
"So…what exactly is '_it'?"_ he interrogated bluntly. Emil was confused by the question and retraced their conversation in order to decipher it. As he advanced further and further, he realized the remark he'd made and instantly tried to avert attention from his folly.

"Um….well…" he panicked, squirming. He frantically searched the room for anything interesting enough to divert the redhead's perplexity, be he was too late. "So…I heard Lloyd and Colette are also in a…"

"I'd never thought I'd see the day when my wet noodle finally turned into such a man! Obviously, I must have played a huge role in this transformation," he declared, raising his glass as if he was going to toast. Sheena ignored him and pushed his chair so that he toppled on the floor.

"I'm so happy for you Emil! You had such low confidence, and look, you've found someone who loves you that much. Really…it must feel great," she said, resting a hand on his shoulder.

He smiled and looked up, nodding. "…Yes. Thank you, Sheena."

"_Sheena really is a lot like a mom. I mean, it's not like I hate Aunt Flora, but she seems to be one of the people who supports me the most. I know Colette, Presea, and Raine all care for me…but she just feels so warm. I'm so happy I've met everyone here."_

Zelos sat up and began to rearrange himself when Emil's insightful gaze fell upon him. _"Zelos is…uh…well..." _

As the dysfunctional couple before him bickered, he looked around the restaurant at his other friends. First, he turned his head to Lloyd and Colette.

"_Lloyd's like an older brother…he's really strong and kind…but way too immature to be a father…" _he thought silently. _"Same with Colette. She's so sweet and thoughtful. She's really soothing…but neither one seems smart enough for parenthood. I guess 'not smart enough' is accurate…"_ he thought, wanting to take it back. However, when he was flooded with mental images of Colette collapsing, Lloyd cooking up Dwarven Pot Luck Surprise, and even Colette talking about the difference between washing mud and slime off Tenebrae's coat, the phrase seemed to stick perfectly.

He then turned attention to Genis and Raine, chatting on a bench having pastries wrapped in bright wax paper. _"Raine is definitely the aunt type and Genis is like the perfect childhood friend."_

Next was Regal and Presea.

"_Regal's already like a father to me…so Presea seems a lot like his own daughter. Kind of like a wise niece who just dethatched enough from you that you can almost tell her anything." _

He'd thought he's seen everyone and nailed their personalities, but then he remembered Ratatosk and Richter, who'd most likely left hours before. _"…I don't even know what to call them. 'Heros' sounds so cliché…but it's really the only word that fits. Same with Aster. Without them…I…I…" _

"Hey Emil," Sheena said after she had glued two paper seals across Zelos' jaw to make him stay quiet. "Why don't you invite Marta down? I'm sure she's hungry…"

Emil felt himself wince in fear as images of a red-eyed demon with two flowers in her hair threw vases and sharp daggers at his face. "M…Maybe not. We had an incident this morning…"

"Huh? Incident?" she questioned, turning suspiciously to Zelos. "What did you do!"

"It was nothing," Emil said, waving his hands frantically in his friend's defense. "I mean…"

"Emil, don't stand up for him if he's guilty!" she cried, slamming a gloved palm to her forehead. "Here—there are phones down here that people can use to call the rooms upstairs. They're right around the corner, along the side of the wall. Just call and ask her if she's alright…" the purple-haired ninja said politely. "I'll handle Zelos." The green-eyed teen stood and accepted the fact that he had to face Marta again. He realized it was inevitable, but a mere half an hour was not enough time for such a gregarious girl to calm herself. He walked over to the ornate, silver-trimmed phone and pressed the code for their room.

He waited impatiently for Marta to answer. After the first three rings, he began to think she was in the shower and started to hang up. A burst of static interrupted this though followed by a few crackles and pops from the other line. He screwed his eyes shut and pulled the receiver away from his ear. Head aching, he said, "Marta!"

"_Emil…?"_

"Uh, hey," he stammered nervously. "So…sorry about before…"

"_Sorry!" _she answered harshly, causing him to pull his face from the phone. Even holding the phone and arm's width away from his ear, her shouting was crystal clear. _"I can't even leave my room…I'm so humiliated that I had to order room service just to eat! I'm so embarrassed," _she began to rant angrily. _"Ugh…can you believe his nerve Emil?"_

"Yeah, but it's Zelos. Just try and remember that it doesn't mean anything…" he explained, waving a finger. "I…was actually wondering if you'd like to come down…"

"_N-No way! I'm not facing him after he's probably blabbed about it to everyone!" _she said with a mouthful of food. _"Besides, I'm about to take a shower!"_

There was silence as Emil listened to his girlfriend noisily chew her food.

"Um…once I'm done, can I come back up?" he asked, careful choosing his words. Something like that, as he knew perfectly well from being around Tenebrae, could be easily transformed into something X-rated. She seemed to take a drink before answering.

"_Well…I'm not coming down, so sure!" _she said, the tone in her voice returning to its normal, upbeat octave. _"I really didn't get a chance to talk to you much after last night…" _she said in a slow, seductive voice. Emil blushed and cleared his throat.

"Y-Yeah, I'll be up," he said eagerly, surprised to hear she was so happy. Seeing Marta happy not only met that she'd spare his life, but just her smile brought him irreplaceable tenderness. He waved down his friends and bowed to them briefly. They waved back and he raced to the elevator. A woman held the door and asked what floor he'd want to go to. He answered, "Four," and the woman pressed a button daintily. The capsule shot into the air and the woman released the lock on the door. He stepped out and slipped a fair amount of Gald into her opened hand. He watched her sink into the floor again and walked over to the door. He found himself reaching for his pocket to retrieve his card, but he'd left it in the room and hadn't grabbed it during Marta's somewhat demonic possession. He rapped his knuckles on the door softly.  
"Marta, hey Marta! Can you let me in? I forgot my card…" he said, suddenly feeling something nudge his shoe. He looked down to see that she'd slipped it under the crack in the door. He blushed and picked it up. _"She must be getting out of the shower…"_ he thought, sighing.

"_Please be dressed,"_ he prayed, closing his eyes and sprinting inside before anyone else passed by the door.

As he expected, the bathroom light was on and the rushing water could be heard running. He closed the door in relief and walked across the airy, sunlit room to the bed. He noticed a dirty, disregarded plate on the nightstand and chuckled. "She's still the same…even after our journey."

The mentioned girl cautiously called out suddenly. He looked over and saw her small fingers wrapped around the edge of the doorframe. "Emil…?" she called blissfully, about to step out. Lualdi, however, suddenly jumped back. "It is just you, right?" she asked in a cautious tone.

He laughed in his boyish, innocent voice. "Yeah, don't worry. We all really missed you at breakfast, Marta," he rambled, closing his eyes and pulling the long, black sleeves off his arms, beige skin shining in the bright light. "Zelos apologized and Sheena had to beat him up, so I think we should probably go a little easy-" he said when he turned to the door and paused.

She stepped out with a short, sky-colored towel around her small, bony body. She tilted her head and curtseyed to her baffled boyfriend, who in turn, was tempted to pull the sheets of the bed over his head. "M-M-M-Marta!"

She acted like a teenage girl after her first love confession, swaying to and fro nervously while her face turned bright pink. "Emil…"

"_I…I don't understand...why is she…why is she…?"_

She then let out a disappointed sigh. "Still no good, huh?"

"What?"

He ran over to him and planted a stern hand on her hip, locking her leg. "You still have no idea what to do! Even after all we've done, how can you still be so clueless…?" she asked, sulking. Confused, he blinked, unable to draw his gaze away from her. She suddenly gripped her fists in determination and proceeded to bob up and down excitedly so fast she almost looked like she was vibrating. "But I can't give up! No matter how dense you can be, you're still my Emil."

Castagnier stared ahead. "…Marta? You'll…"

"UGH!" she screamed, sending the blonde teen flying across the room. "I just told you I loved you! Kiss, hug me, do something!"

She puffed a cheek and stormed back to the bathroom. As she slammed the door (working hard to be as over dramatic as possible) the flustered teen sat dumbfounded on the floor, hair mussed up and eyes wide.

"Little does she know how exhausting she is…" he said to himself, just barely above a whisper. Tenebrae, whose form lingered silently on the balcony, smirked in glee.

"… and you'll always be my Marta," he said, the blush finally fading from his visage.

-END-

Emil feels…out of character. So does everyone else…I think I need to play again for a refresher. XD

Hope you enjoy this lazy, lack-of-romance filled chapter.


	10. I want my family back

Title: After the Sun Shined

Pairing: Emarta

Rating: K

Disclaimer: The Tales series and all the characters belong to Namco.

Author's Notes: I've been busy, but I'll always be uploading…so to all of you, who've been sticking with the story, thank you! It means a lot to me, and I love writing for you all. Merci beaucoup!

**This chapter is dedicated to my friend Kevin, who passed away in a car accident while driving in the rain. He was so fun-loving and nice, and he devoted his time to donating his love to others and saving lives. His courage turned other's dreams into reality. **

-START-

Emil stood in the doorway of his home in Luin, fingers pressed lightly against the door frame. He would push the door in a few inches, than pull his hand back. Marta clung to his side, watching the boy nervously. "Well…are you going to go inside?" He nodded, his frown turning into a grimace. He palmed the knob and the door swung open before him. The room before him was empty and dark with ugly, grass-colored curtains drawn over the windows. Emil stepped inside cautiously with his head swinging from side to side, as if he was searching for something. When he spied the door to his old bedroom, memories rushed back to him.

"A-Aunt Flora…" the male's voice rang, causing a few flies that'd make their home on the windowsill to buzz about the room in surprise. Castagnier shuddered and batted them away, his light footsteps creaking the more he advanced. He didn't know why, but he felt like drawing his sword.  
"Uncle Alba, Aunt Flora? My friend told me you wanted to see me…"

He knew his best friend was beside him, so, why did he feel so alone?

"Hey, Emil?" Mara asked in her cool voice, showing her love that she wasn't at all fazed by the situation. As he turned his head to speak with her, she intertwined their fingers and kissed his cheek. "You'll be okay. I'm right here with you, so don't worry!" She lifted her chin up high and marched over to the door. It opened with ease and the brown-haired girl vanished inside. As he heard her voice start to converse with another, he reached out his hand and tried to follow.  
"Hey, Marta, wait! Marta, I'll speak with them." He ran towards the door peered inside.

The only light can from the sheer curtains that masked the windows. Marta's voice had stopped moments before his entrance. "Marta?"

A hand reached out from the blackness and removed the curtains from their position on the bland, wooden wall. The sun's delicate, yellow rays washed over the small room and details belonging to the figures in front of him emerged. Out of the corner came Uncle Alba and, sitting on the bed, Aunt Flora. Marta found herself sitting on the floor, holding Flora's hand tenderly. "You two," Emil asked in an astonished tone that caused his aunt to shake. "You shouldn't be sitting in the dark…" he added, slowly stepping back.

"Marta, what's going on?"

"Aunt Flora hasn't been very well," Alba interrupted. "What, did you come here to rub it in my face, brat?"

Emil jumped at the harshness in his voice and clutched his chest. He felt his shoe catch on a nail and send him toppling back. He barely managed to catch himself, but Marta and let go if the woman's paper-like hand and grabbed his shoulders. "Emil!"

"I'm fine…" he said, standing. Marta stayed on the floor, her blue eyes watching him carefully. "And no, Uncle Alba, I didn't." The blonde teenager stood proudly and charged to the wall where his uncle stood. The older man cringed as Emil approached him.

"Well, what the hell is it?"

"…"

"Well!" he yelled, slapping Emil across the cheek. Lualdi flew up into the air and caught the man's hand afterwards. "How could you!"

"N-No, don't worry about it. Uncle Alba," he repeated, holding a hand to his inflamed cheek. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I came back…but you said that maybe we could start over. Didn't…didn't you want to apologize to me?" Emil pressed his hands together feverously, rubbing them unconsciously as he spoke in his hushed, slightly worried tone.

Alba stared at him and scoffed, whipping his head away. "…yeah, I did…"

"So, why!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms in an obvious sign of perplexity. "Why are you being like this! I'm here to help you, and if Aunt Flora is sick, I want to help. Please," Emil said looking to Marta for a signal of agreement. She nodded and stood bravely against the imposing man.

"…Alright, but if we help, you have to listen to what Emil has to say!"

"Marta!" he said, seizing her shoulders and pulling her back against his body.

"Emil, c'mon!" she yelled, spreading her arms out. She rocked back on her heels and planted a firm hand on her hip in subtle defiance. "Don't you remember what they did to you? Are you ready to just throw that all away when it's convenient for them? What about you and your feelings," she interrogated, pointing an incriminating finger at his chest. His face turned red and he snatched her hand.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can just abandon them. Even though they might have hated me, they still took care of me!"

Alba winced at those words, as if they'd changed into a blade and sliced through his icy, concrete heart. He turned to his blonde nephew in surprise, eyes wide in shock.

Marta smirked at the reaction. She twirled around and stared at the two adults again, taking in their bewildered reactions. She then cast her cerulean-colored eyes off to the side and glanced over her petite shoulder. "Is that…really how you feel, Emil?"

"Of course…"  
He gripped a fist and kneeled down before his aunt. As he examined her pulse and skin for any abnormalities or symptoms, his emerald eyes remained downcast and glossy. Flora stared at the gentle smile on his visage and instantly felt a terrible pang of guilt. "They're the only family I have Marta…I love them."

Marta turned, staring at the sight with pure admiration. Memories with her father when she was younger flashed through her mind as she observed her lover tend to his aunt. Her gaze grew cloudy and, as she giggled in glee, a small tear rolled down her face.

"_Yes. You go, Emil!"_

"I'll wait outside for you guys," Lualdi said, taking tiny steps towards the front door. She closed the door softly, like the inn was made from brittle tissue, ready to come crashing down at any second. Emil didn't notice the girl leave and focused solely on his own aunt. Flora, who was highly surprised by his acts of kindness, stayed still as a statue while he examined her. He took another look at her face and skin once more, then fondled for something in his pocket.  
"Aunt Flora…I think you have a cold," Emil said softly, hands searching for the medicine in his pocket. "It's nothing too serious, thank goodness…but make sure to take care of yourself." He handed her a few small, round pills and went to retrieve a glass from the kitchen cabinet. He swung open the rickety door and brushed cobwebs away from the china before grabbing the most basic glass. He rubbed it clean with his cloak and filled it up with a bottled drink they'd probably bought from the general store. Alba stayed pressed against the wall, watching the acts with widened eyes. Flora stood and wobbled on her knees. She went to help her nephew, who'd insisted she stay in bed.

"…Emil," Alba questioned as he pulled the covers over Flora's limp body. "Is that true…that you still care for us? Even after we convinced others you were working with the Vanguard…and that you were the one luring monsters to the lakebed…you still…"

Castagnier didn't respond immediately. He seemed to think about it before making any attempt to answer. "I'm willing to go back and try again, even if you aren't."

"…"

Emil lowered his head and went outside to leave. As he stepped outside, his foot halted in the middle of the doorway. "So…you didn't want to talk to me after all?"

"…"

"Well, I'm still happy I came," he said, voice becoming fuzzy. The last time he'd came to Luin with Tenebrae, before he had accepted the fact he would be sealed away, he'd cried shortly after the encounter. Now, he felt the same way.

"E-Emil, wait," he hollered, running to the doorway and grabbing his shoulder. He pulled the boy back inside and closed the door.

"Uncle Alba?" Castagnier asked, shaken. "W-what is it?"

"…I wanted to say thank you. Please, you and Marta spend the night here," he said, glancing outside at the gathering clouds and the brief flashes that indicated some form of lightening. "I mean, it looks like there's a storm, and you said you wanted to start over, so…" he said, nervously stroking his mustache. "I-I guess I can make an exception, just for a night."

Emil blinked and felt his eyes water again. Instead of walking out the door, he flung himself into his uncle's arms. "Thank you!" he cried cheerfully, glad he'd at least gotten a fraction of his family back. Alba blushed and grimaced, about to push him away. However, at the last second, he stopped. He looked down on the head of gold hair pressed against his chest and sighed. He encircled his arms around Emil's waist and let himself grin.

"W-Well…you're welcome. A-Aunt Flora wants to say something to you…so don't forget to talk to her…in the morning…"

"I won't," Emil said, sprinting outside to get Marta, who'd been standing in the middle of the road just as the rain had started to fall. When she saw small, dark circles on the pavement below her feet, she raised her hands in panic to cover her hair. Castagnier grabbed her and pulled her into the downstairs inn. They got inside and closed the door just as a loud, booming sound nearly destroyed their eardrums. "Emil, what are we going to do! We can't go home in this…" Marta cried, wringing water out of her light brown locks. She twisted them in her fist until small puddles formed below her. Emil agreed and patted her on the head.

"Uncle Alba and Aunt Flora are letting us stay here tonight," he said, walking up to the receptionist. When she saw his face, she slammed down her book and glowed with humiliation. "E-Emil Castagnier?"

"Uh, hello, can we please…?"

She seemed to be embarrassed by his presence. She rubbed her hands together to try and filter her nervousness away from her voice. "Oh, sure, but you don't have to pay. After saying all those mean things to you, please have the room for free."

Both teens looked at each other skeptically, but as the cold rain began to make them shiver, they quickly agreed. "Well, if that's okay…" he said slowly, looking at her unsurely.

"Yes! And I heard what Alba said upstairs…please, to your right," she said as she motioned to a room right next to the desk. "It's unlocked and the key is inside…please, rest well okay?"

When Marta learned of the room, she didn't wait for permission before she rushed inside and threw herself under the covers. Emil smiled and was about to follow when the girl turned around and went back to reading. Carefully, when she reached back to finish their paperwork, he slipped 100,000 Gald under the bell.

"_Everyone's been so nice, they deserve something…" _he though silently before opening the door and walking inside. He's expected to still see Marta under the covers, but the messed up sheets were completely devoid of her. He lifted a brow and bent over the bed, looking left and right for the petite woman. "Hey, Marta?"

She jumped on him from behind and pushed him on the bed. "Gotcha!" Emil yelped in surprise, and then laughed. At first, it was just a girlish giggle, but then he was clutching his aching sides and rolling over to avoid eye contact with the confused and bewildered princess. "Huh, what's so funny!"

"Nothing…" he said, blushing slightly. "I was just thinking…even after all this time, you haven't changed at all…"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, and that's not a bad thing. I mean, I've changed a lot…I'm a lot braver and I have more courage…" Emil said, pulling Marta on top of him and into a hug. "It's all thanks to you, Marta. Thanks for making me your knight." She blushed and nodded.

"Yes, that's true, but you're still Emil. No matter what, I'll always love you!"

"…Yeah," he said slowly, staring up at her. She rested there and folded her hands over his chest, gazing longingly at him. "I'll always love you too, Marta."

"…you said those exact words when you were sealing the door in the Ginnugagapp."

"I did?" he asked, lifting some fingers to his lips and tracing them down his jawbone in thought. "Oh yeah. Well, they're true, so I guess its okay." Marta turned fuchsia and sat straight up, her legs spread over Emil's chest.

Blushing wildly, she chirped in a voice that mimicked jungle bells, "Wow, Emil! That's so romantic!" She flew back on top of him and started unraveling his scarf madly. "Oh, Emil, I love you!" Emil stuttered stupidly as he attempted to hold his clothes down on his body.

"M-Marta, are you serious!"

"Yes," she said. "Of course I am! How can I resist you when you've just done something so sweet, chivalrous, and adorable!"

"I wouldn't call in any of those," he stated bluntly. "H-How about we just go to bed and get some sleep?"

"What! Aw…okay…" she said sadly, stepping off of him and drooping on the floor. He saw her depression and sighed deeply.

"…would you like me to help you get undressed?" he asked, hoping that would suffice for a night. Seconds later, he was pounded into the bed, Marta's dress almost being ripped to shreds and, oddly enough, not by him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Both teens approached Alba and Flora's domicile on the top floor right after Tenebrae had materialized by their bedside and stated (rather coolly despite the awkward looking arrangement in the bed) that Lloyd and the others were coming to pick them both up and take them back to Altamira for a night out at the casino. They quickly rushed to put on their clothes and raced to the top of the stairs. They'd been knocking on the door for five minutes, but neither adult had answered.

"I guess neither of them is home," Lualdi said solemnly. "Maybe they're both still sleep." Emil figured she was right and took his girlfriend's hand to escort her down the stairs.

"_I guess I'll come back another time to hear what they have to say…I wouldn't want to bother them, after all." _They reached the bottom and approached the town's entrance and waited for their companions on the wooden bridge. When shadows resembling large birds appeared in the distance, Marta perked up and waved them down before they flew over the city.

"Do you want to try one more time," she asked him over her shoulder. He shook his head, staring at the ground with his mint-colored eyes.

"No, I'm ready. Let's go meet Lloyd and the others…" he said looking at Tenebrae who, for the most spiteful Centurion in the world, was oddly calm. "Hey, Tenebrae. You've been awfully quiet. Is something bothering you?" he asked, a little puzzled by the spirit's silent demeanor.

"Oh, no. Nothing at all," he said, eyes closed and head pointed towards the sky. "I'm just trying to get that picture out of my mind. You know, from this morning," he said almost gagging. Emil turned a dusty rose color and Marta, who'd barely heard the sentence anyway, felt like she needed to question him further.

"Tenebrae, you've be alive forever! That can't be the first time you've—"

"**Alright!"** Emil yelled, hushing them before everyone in town heard them. He finished his plea right as the Rheairds landed a few feet from the bridge. Castagnier watched as Lualdi scampered towards Sheena's, who'd forced Zelos to ride by himself in fear he'd try something perverted while she was trying to pilot the aircraft. Castagnier made his way over to the Chosen of Tethe'alla when he heard a door slam. He turned and saw his aunt running towards him, lifting her skirts above the flowers and grass. She stumbled a few times, but made it over to him. Her breathing was choppy, but there was a glow on her face Emil didn't think he'd ever seen before.

"E-Emil," she said, gasping. The blonde teen hurried over to her and grabbed her hand. "Aunt Flora…"

"Please take this," she said, raising a weak, withered arm and putting something cold and round in his palm. He looked down and saw a glint of gold and diamond.  
"A ring…?" Emil asked slowly.

"It was…your mother's…" she said coughing.

"…_My mother…"_ he said, trying to recall the make believe memories he'd been given. "Oh…but, I don't understand…"

"You have our blessing. Use it…and make yourself happy. We're…sorry for all those years of misery. We received the ring from…a friend who found Lana and Reysol's bodies after the massacre. Please, just take it."

"…_Is this alright? They weren't my parents…but I…" _he thought, his conscience ripping at him. After a few moments of musing, he clenched his fist and smiled. "Aunt Flora…thank you. I love you both," he added, kissing her on the cheek. "Can…I come back to see you both?"

Flustered, the redhead raised a hand to her cheek and bobbed her head stupidly. "Y-Yes, anytime you want…and that young lady can come too."

He chuckled and ran towards the craft, the wind from their propellers blowing his hair and outfit. He mounted himself behind Zelos and fastened his hands over the Chosen's waist. As Flora waved him goodbye, he saw Alba peek out from behind the inn door and smile slightly. Castagnier's breath hitched at the sight and he laughed, raising his tone arm to wave back at his loving family.

"Thank you! Thank you…so much! I love you both!"

Seconds later, they blasted off into the ocean with an inky cloud of blackness following behind.

-END-

Here you are guys! I hoped you really liked it…because writing it gave me great joy.

For those of you who read this chapter, thank you for sticking with it. Needless to say, it took me a while to finish, but I'm proud of it!

R&R, and thank you eternally for your gratitude!

Emil: Yeah, we owe you guys!

Marta: Thanks to you, there's going to be even more romance between me and Emil! Pretty soon, we'll have to start thinking about pregnancy and children, and a house and a wedding and…

Emil: Wait, huh!


	11. Three years later

Title: After the Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: Tales of Symphonia belongs to Namco, not me.

Rating: T

Author's Note: Delayed update because of school. I still write fanfictions, so don't worry! It's almost overwhelming, but I'll never stop. Thank you all for staying with me this long, despite all the typos, grammar errors and the like.  
Again, thank you!

**-START-**

It had already been so long since he'd come back from the Ginnugagapp. Everything had only just begun to fall into place. Castagnier life was only just beginning.

As Zelos flew the Rheaird gracefully across the bright blue sky, Emil leaned his head against the Chosen's back and started to think about how fortunate he'd been.  
He had no right to complain and be as frightened as he used to. His life was amazing, and with Marta by his side, that only made it better. He remembered the ring Aunt Flora had given him, and he remembered how the redhead had explained it was actually from his 'mother'. Emil still didn't feel quite right for taking it, but he did have a use in mind for it.

It would take a while…but eventually, he'd slip the ring on Marta's finger and, hopefully, have the pleasure of being her husband.

"Heh…but that day's so far off…"

"Hm?" Zelos called over the howl of the wind. "Did you say something, Bud #2? Speak up!"

The blonde teen smiled to himself and shook his head proudly, his chin higher and prouder than it had ever been before. "Nope! I didn't say anything!"

And it was true, he hadn't. Instead, he'd felt it in his soul; his heart…his mind.

The storm had cleared and the clouds had released the sun, allowing its golden rays to shine once again.

_Marta…there are so many things that I don't like. My cowardly nature…the way I always used to run away._

_But I'll change that…I'll change everything…because I know I can._

_For myself…and for you._

_The woman I love._

Three years seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. The scenery around everyone changed, but personalities didn't fluctuate one bit. Everyone had gone their separate ways, but occasionally, everyone would come back together and celebrate their friendship. The two journeys the teams had embarked on had brought them together as one army. Whenever Castagnier thought about it, he was almost brought to tears by the beauty of it.

Most of the time, they were tears brought forth by nostalgia. Other times the tears Emil cried were from the hilarity at the transformations around him.

For example, Regal had _actually started_ the Paw Pad Playmate Society in Lezareno and, with help from Presea, was using the funds to fully rebuild Ozette. It was something that she greatly appreciated and knew that Alicia would love him for. That was enough to convince the blue-haired president to go through with the organization. Marta had even volunteered to help make Alicia's birthday a holiday in Altamira with help from Colette, who insisted that everyone have one day off work to celebrate the simple opportunity of waking up and living a life.

Sheena still summoned Ratatosk and Richter to meet with Emil and Marta occasionally, and the purple haired ninja herself was working to keep the village of Mizuho just as her grandfather had kept it; secretive and away from prying eyes. It was so like her to honor her family in such a tremendous way.

Lloyd actually graduated from school. Raine almost cried with joy when he fully understood trigonometry. Of course a huge party was thrown for him over in the town of Luin (which was still thankful for when he'd paid for Peitro's restoration project, obviously). Emil almost barreled over laughing when he saw Lloyd impressing children with his extensive knowledge of 30-60-90 triangles and being able to find sine _and_ cosecant. Emil couldn't find either one, but found it funny how many were still impressed with his knowledge.

Zelos, needless to say, followed Lloyd wherever he went. He deemed that Irving was his 'Eternal Bud' and that they always be together, even if Lloyd disagreed with him. Politically, Zelos also was also well connected to the village of Mizuho, which while staying in the shadows, worked as a constant force to keep the peace in the combined worlds. Whenever he paid the village a visit, he always made sure that everything was going okay…before groping Sheena's boobs and making multiple passes at her. Oddly enough, she didn't seem to mind so much anymore.

Raine and Genis were still traveling around the world talking to different half-elves and, as a result, Emil and Marta saw them quite often. Lualdi and Castagnier also traveled around, staying in all the inns they could using the four million Gald they'd acquired on their last journey. Currently, their home was Triet, which was back to being an extremely hot desert.

It was even worse now that it was summer.

"Oh my god…Emil…why is it so hot here? Why can't we move somewhere more mild for a while?" Marta complained loudly as she and her boyfriend walked arm-in-arm through the sandy streets, each dressed in hooded, white robes to protect their skin and eyes. "Let's go back to Palmacoasta, or Asgard…even Iselia! Ugh…I'm even sweating…how gross!" she said, sticking out her tongue. Emil laughed and put up with her ranting. She didn't mean it and, as soon as they were inside somewhere cool, she'd go back to her peppy self. That's just how things were with her.

"I have a steady job here," he said with a smile. "Or…do you not want to be able to eat?"

That threat made her stifle and turn pink. It's true, Emil was making a lot of money at his job, and he did enjoy it, but the heat was driving her insane. "You work with the fortune-teller! How can that possibly make a lot of money?" she asked as they came within a few steps of the inn. Emil held the door open and pushed her inside, smiling at the desk clerk before closing the door. The girl threw herself down on the cool bed sheets and cheered. "Yes, finally!"

Emil removed his shoes and robes and headed for the shower to try and scrub the sand from his skin. As he removed the tunic to reveal a firmly sculpted chest and muscled stomach, her voice was silenced. Lualdi stared in quiet awe, only turning her gaze when Emil stole a glance of the woman over his shoulder. "Hey, after we get cleaned up, do you want to do something? "

"H-Huh?" he asked nervously. "Like what?"

"I'll take you out on a date. Let's go to Palmacoasta—where we first met. I want to watch the sunset with you."

"R-Really?" she screamed in disbelief. Her blue eyes sparkled lovingly as she flew into his arms. "Emil, you're the best! I'm glad I fell in love with you!"

"Me too," he whispered, walking back to the bed and leaning over her. "I really am." He pressed his mouth against hers, slowly pushing her body back down onto the bed. The mattress creaked beneath them with a deep sigh. Marta wrapped her arms around Emil's neck and laughed into the kiss. "Wow…you're not nearly as shy as you used to be. I mean…you're still timid and gentle, like you were on our jounrey….but…you're not nearly as…you know…"

Emil nodded and laughed. "Yeah, I get it. I still need to repay you for that."

_You already have, my love._

"You really want to repay me? Okay then, let's go eat at a restaurant in Palmacoasta _and then_ watch the sunset! Sound cool?"

"Sure, sounds great," he said, walking into the bathroom and starting the shower. She remembered the time back in the Altamira hotel room when she and Emil had bathed together, bringing back sensual memories. Her loins dampening at the memory, she rose and strutted towards him in a frenzy of yearning.

"Emil. May I…join you?" she said with her pink lips twisted into a playful pout.

Castagnier blushed, but chuckled, taking her hand and pulling her into the room. Her white robes fell from her chest and pooled around her ankles. Mint-green eyes fixated on her, he snaked a hand under her knees and lifted her against his chest like a bride.

She squeaked in surprise and looked at him incredulously.

"You know you're always welcome."

**-END-**

So…what happens after this is featured in my story "Start a Fire."

Until the next chapter is uploaded…that's basically what happens until then. Hope you enjoyed~

((Feel free to flame the story, but not the pairing. Someone did this recently, so I'm just saying it again. Relax and enjoy the fanfic! Woohoo!))


	12. Little letter

Hello, my faithful readers,

You may be wondering where the chapter is? Well, I uploaded the chapter here for a couple of days with a separate M rating for people to read.

While I've done this with other stories (some with milder lemons), I've realized that it would be in my best interest if I uploaded the chapter as its own story to avoid the entire work being deleted.

If you go to my profile, you can easily find it under my archived stories. If you would like to read the chapter, please look for the story entitled, "Night of Passion."

Thank you all for being so loyal to this story. I can't say that's its going to be easy to end Emil and Marta's journey, but as soon as this one is over, I intend to write another story for Regal and Alicia that takes place during the first game. Since I did play the first game…well, first…I think I should also pay attention to the traditional story for a while. While this may be true, I will never give up Emil and Marta.

Well, that's all! Thanks for tolerating my typos, reviewing, praising, and critiquing! It's been so much fun for me to write this story, and I hope to write many more to come!

With eternal love and sweet blessings,

Jessica (L'Archel-Hotishi)


	13. Let's plan a wedding

Title: After The Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: All characters mentioned within the story are not mine. Please credit Namco and the Tales teams for their hard work.

Rating: T

Author's Note: At the start of the chapter, there is a reference to the in-game journal Emil and Marta use…to eliminate confusion. It's a commonly overlooked part of the game, so I wanted to include it! It's also really funny (in Izoold, Marta even refers to Regal's outfit as being 'sexy'…and I died laughing.)

**-START-**

_Dear diary,_

_I want to thank you for listening to my complaints for such a long time. Back during our journey, I would always vent my thoughts onto your pages and express nothing bust despair and worry. After all of the turmoil, Emil and I have found happiness, and I want to thank you._

_This is the last page for me to write on. I can't believe I've written so much in such a short period of time. I've filled up every page except for this one._

_Still, even after I write my last words, I'll never throw you away. Your pages are filled with so much beauty and wondrous memories for me to simply be rid of them. In my mind and my heart, the pages and feelings fuse into one entity. That entity is the spirit that kept me going through thick and thin._

_Tomorrow, I'm getting married to Emil. We're going to become husband and wife, buy a house and settle down. You'll be with us the entire way._

_Thank you for listening to my feelings and never judging them as others do. Even though you're a stack of paper with ink lines, you're so much more than that. I see more than filled pages. I see a past filled with love, hate and sadness. I also see a future filled with nostalgic reminiscing and joyful memories._

_Love,_

_Marta _

XOXOXOXOXO

Emil and Marta both decided that they would collaborate on creating the wedding. Marta would be in charge of guests, food and decorations while Emil was in charge of the location and showing up on the wedding day.

So it wasn't exactly split fifty-fifty. He didn't care. He wanted Marta to have her dream wedding and was simply flattered to have the opportunity to choose where their ceremony would be held. He wanted to pick a location that would be perfect for their wedding. It needed to make Marta shine with glee when she found out where it would be. He'd contemplated using the new World Tree as a location, but it was still a sapling. Yuan also probably wouldn't care for the event for obvious reasons.

After searching around for hours, he decided to ask for help. He had a few locations in mind, but he needed someone to help him narrow it down to the best options. Emil decided to ask the most logical person he knew and the person who'd give him the most intelligent feedback.

He traveled to Iselia and knocked on the door to the schoolhouse. Raine poked her head out the window and waved him inside excitedly. She looked as if she'd just gotten back from exploring some glorious ruins. After Emil had introduced her to the Dynasty Ruins, she had been a very busy woman. Even now, she was glowing with excitement. "Oh, Emil! Come in, come in! I've been exploring those wonderful ruins you showed me! They're so amazing…I still need to find a way to thank you!"

The blonde smiled and rubbed his neck in embarrassment. "Uhm…you're welcome. I actually think I may have a way for you to…thank me. I…actually really need your advice, Raine."

"My advice?" she piped up, suddenly becoming serious. "Is it about the wedding? You must know that I'm a teacher, not a party planner. I may not be of much help."

"I understand that, but just hear me out…_you're a woman right_?"

Raine's eyes narrowed venomously and Emil apologized immediately for his stupidity. "N-No! I don't mean it like that! It's just…Marta wants me to pick out the location for our wedding, but I have no idea what to choose. There are so many beautiful places, but I wanted an opinion from a wise adult. And…you're a woman. Where would you like to get married?"

"That's a very personal question…" Raine said slowly, starting to ponder different places. "Let me guess. There are many beautiful places around the world where you two have shared many precious moments, but you aren't sure if she'll like them."

Emil nodded.

"And because you're a male, you think you'll choose the wrong place because you think she'll shoot down any location that isn't superficially beautiful."

Emil debated her answer and began to nod shamelessly. He hadn't realized how stupid his problem had been until he talked to Raine about it. "I'm sorry Raine…I guess I was wrong to ask. No matter where I choose, she'll be happy because of the reasons behind why I chose it."

"That's what I would normally say…" Raine began, trying to stifle a laugh. "But remember who you are marrying. This is Marta. For Colette or Sheena, I'd say the answer is applicable…but Marta is a little bit more…how do I say it…"

"I know what you mean," Emil said, laughing at her choice of words. "She is a little sensitive and fickle about romance. If it's not perfect, she won't be happy. She'll probably hide that she's not happy…but I don't want her to fake happiness. I know she's always dreamed of the perfect wedding…and I love her. I don't want to give her anything less."

"…You really have grown, Emil."

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Sage said, shaking her head. "Anyway, what were some of the locations you had in mind? We'll start there and narrow down each of the locations logically by considering weather conditions, safety and convenience."

Raine leaned against her teaching desk and encouraged Emil to sit in a desk. He felt silly doing so; like he was a student again. Although, he was a student again in some respect, especially before someone as wise and strong as Raine Sage. Gradually, he explained each of the places he'd traveled to and why he considered the spot for their marriage. Luin, The Asgardian Stone Dias, Palmacoasta's Bridge and Altamira were Emil's final picks after Raine narrowed down other locations that were either unsafe (like the entrance to the Dynasty Ruins) or inconvenient for a large ceremony (like The Otherworldly Gate). Raine's assistance was incredibly helpful and provided him with interesting points that he hadn't thought of before. For example, it had to be somewhere fairly close and somewhere that wasn't crawling with possibly harmful critters.

"I hear that Marta is looking for a wedding dress. We probably shouldn't make the final decision until she decides on what kind of gown to wear."

"Why?"

"Because, Lord Emil, a lady's wedding down can be harmed in certain environments. For example, if she has a long gown, the wedding should be indoors to avoid ruining the garment. If it's short, I believe a beach wedding would be simply delightful!"

Raine and Emil blinked at the mysterious voice and spun around to see the Centurion of Darkness floating right in the doorway. Both were frozen in fear for a moment and, seconds later, Raine was the only one to break free from her silence and start gushing over the floating creature. "Oh, Tenebrae! You're just as interesting as when I last saw you! Not only are you a great shape-shifter, but you're incredibly stealthy! How fascinating!"

"Raine…don't fuel his fire," Emil stammered, head sinking between his shoulders.

"You flatter me, miss," Tenebrae said, bowing his head. "Oh, and pardon me for interrupting. I was just passing by and happened to overhear your wedding discussion. I must say, all those locations sound lovely! However, Lady Marta's dress is a factor you must consider. I believe she's shopping for one right now with your little brother."

"Genis? Not Colette, Sheena or Presea? That seems odd."

"They are looking for decorations," the Centurion explained further. "Marta asked for Genis' help. The other three gentlemen are currently being forced to find suits that match the shade of white from Lady's Marta's gown."

"I thought only virgins wore white at weddings…" Emil said stupidly, not realizing he'd spoken aloud. He covered his mouth afterwards, but the damage was permanent. Tenebrae chuckled deeply while Raine raised a hand to pummel him over the head. "W-Wait, Raine! I didn't mean it!"

"You two are consenting adults, and I understand that, but I have _no desire_ to hear about your raunchy escapades, understand! _DO YOU UNDERSTAND_?" she roared, smacking him over and over again. Emil covered his head and tried to convince her that it had simply been a misunderstanding. Of course, Raine wasn't stupid, and the plan failed. After watching the amusing display for a solid three minutes, the creature decided to see how dress shopping was coming along. With a swift leap into the air, he vanished into a cloud of black smoke. Now, it was off to Meltokio to visit the unlikely pair and check up on their progress.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"Alright Genis…I have two more dresses left!" Marta called from behind the dressing room curtain. "They're both really different, so I need your honest opinion!"

Honestly, Genis had not planned that Marta's shopping trip would be an all day affair. He was used to shopping with Lloyd, which usually took no more than five minutes once he remembered what he'd walked in the store for. The sorcerer had been disappointed that Raine had refused Marta's invitation because she would be busy in the ruins that day, because he knew that meant he'd have to stay with her all day. While Marta was nice company, shopping for dresses was by no means fun for most boys, Genis included. However, their endeavor was almost over. Just two more, he thought to himself with anticipation, and they could finally do something more exciting for the wedding.

Lualdi pulled back the curtains and stepped out in a mermaid style dress with no sleeves and her hair pulled back into a messy bun with an ivory clip. The dress had embellishment on the chest that cascaded down the dress until a few droplets of rhinestones dotted the hem. It was simple and elegant. "Well, how about this? I really like how shiny this white color is, but since I'm so…bony, I don't know if it looks good…"

Genis was actually stunned at how nice she looked. Contrary to what she thought, she was much older than when they have finally sealed the door to the demonic realm and dealt with Richter and Ratatosk. She was more mature and older looking…in fact; she almost looked as mature as Raine did when they were on the journey of World Regeneration. If she had still been sixteen, she would have looked foolish. But now…she looked beautiful. "Wow…that looks really good."

"Really? Gosh, thank you."

"There's another dress? I think this one is perfect."

"Yeah…the other one is puffier," she said with a laugh, adjusting her elbow-length gloves. "Should I try it on anyway?"

"Y-Yeah!" Genis exclaimed, not knowing what else to say. "Should I get the others? I think they're only a few shops down, and Emil gave Zelos all the money for the dress."

Marta said that sounded wonderful and the little boy darted off into town to gather the girls and other boys from their shopping trips. It took a little while to gather everybody, but they all eventually made their way to the dress shop where Marta was still stowed away in the dressing room. The girls put down their bags of streamers, flowers and confetti and waited with bouncy, giggly anticipation to see Marta all dolled up. Genis hollered to her to come out and show everyone the last dress.

When she did, even the easily distracted Zelos didn't bother to stare at another woman.

The dress was puffier, but in the best way possible. Marta's hair was down in a messy bun and pinned back with a lacy veil, dotted with tiny flowers. The dress itself had no sleeves, but the corset formed a sweetheart neckline and tightly hugged the curves of her slender stomach. The corset sparkled with faint traces of shimmer and glitter. Right above her hips, the dress flared out with a sudden layer of bouncy mesh that fanned outwards until is graced the ground gently. The mesh was dotted with small crystals that descended down the entire length of the dress. The corset was fastened with a white, silk ribbon that was tied in a neat bow right above the bustle of the gown. The gloves reached up to her elbows and were trimmed with a thin layer of crystals. "I told you this one was different…" she said almost defensively when Marta saw the looks on her friends' faces. "W-What? Does it not look good?"

"It's…better than good…" Lloyd stammered, actually turning a little red. "It looks great!"

"The other one was pretty…but this one is perfect for you!" Sheena said in a pitched voice. She almost sounded a little coked up.

"Marta…you look like and angel…" Colette said sweetly and then blushed upon realizing the irony of her statement. "Well…you just look really pretty."

"Damn girl, you look hot," Zelos exclaimed with just enough leer to earn him a harsh cheek pinch from Presea. Regal appreciated Presea's gesture and went on to say that if Alicia would have worn a wedding dress, that would have been one of the most beautiful that she could have chosen.

Marta twirled around in front of a mirror and stared at herself for a long time. Then, after sniffling at her reflection, the woman managed a small nod. "It's…perfect. This is the one."

"Wonderful, Lady Marta!" a deep voice suddenly called from the air. "That one is much better suited for your body and the shade of while really plays up your skin perfectly."

"Hello Tenebrae," Marta said without a hint of surprise as everyone else nearly screamed in shock as the charcoal mass appeared before their eyes. "You really think so? It's more expensive. I don't know how much money Emil put aside for this wedding…so I don't want to waste it…"

"He put aside 5,000,000 Gald, Lady Marta."

The dress was bought a minute later after Marta rushed back into the dressing room and carefully folded her new gown over the hanger. The dress was 350,000 Gald, but they'd worked very hard for the money. Besides, the dress was perfect, and she had no regrets. Emil would love it.

As the group of adults walked out of the pastel-colored shop, Marta looked towards the sky and tapped on Tenebrae's belly. "Hey, has Emil found a location yet? We need to start decorating really soon! We only have a month until the wedding."

The Centurion of Darkness smiled and nodded. "After I tell him about your gown, I'm sure he'll come to a decision."

"Tenebrae, don't ruin the surprise!"

"I won't," he said with a throaty chuckle. "But your style of dress plays a part in the location. Trust me, Lady Marta. Have I let you down?"

Marta said that he never had and Tenebrae nodded smartly in return. With a sigh, Marta agreed and watched the cloud of black smoke hover through the air and slowly vanish into the horizon.

What in the world could her fiancée be up to?

**-END-**

I'm uploading fanfiction every other day because I'm done with school. So, beloved reviewers, where do you think would be the best spot for Emil and Marta's wedding? I'll choose if nobody has an opinion, but I thought it'd be nice to hear everyone's thoughts on where these two should get married.

R&R, and feel free to flame my writing (but not the characters or plot…those aren't mine, after all!) XD


	14. Location, location, location

Title: After The Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Rating: K

Disclaimer: ToS2 is not mine and I claim no ownership of the characters or plot.

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who submitted their opinion on a wedding location! I got good feedback, so I wanted to integrate all the places that I could. One place got a lot of specific feedback. XD

Well, enjoy and I hope you all continue to support my story!

**-START-**

When Tenebrae returned to Emil's side after checking on Marta, he was surprised to see the blonde slouching in a wooden chair near the front door of the school house. Blinking, the Centurion swam through the air and landed on the ground, tilting his head at the strange sight. "Lord Emil, why are you sitting outside?"

"Raine put me in timeout," Emil said in dismay. "She said I can leave in half an hour."

"And you listened to her?"

"Well, yeah. She used her teacher voice, Tenebrae! You know how that freaks me out!" Emil said defensively. The Centurion used his tail to stifle a small laugh while Emil dipped his head in a slight amount of humiliation. Castagnier surrendered and resolved to ask Tenebrae about Marta's wedding gown. "So, how did shopping go?"

"You'll find Lady Marta's dress to be quite fetching, I believe," he said, lifting his nose into the air and staring right into the man's minty green eyes. "It's long, so somewhere indoors would be best. If you have an outdoor location, just make sure she would be able to move around easily and not trip over any obstacles."

Emil hummed in thought and considered Tenebrae's idea.

"Also," the Centurion continued with a swish of his tail, "Don't forget that you have to decide soon! The decorations need to be put up, and I also thought I'd bring up that you should also choose a location for the wedding reception."

"Can't the wedding and the reception be in the same place?"

"Are you having it in a large church?"

"…No."

"Then what do you think would be easiest?" he asked in his signature biting tone. Emil nodded began to nervously grind his palms together. There was so much to do that he wasn't sure if a month was going to be enough time. However, all he had to do was choose two places. If everyone did their jobs, then all the work would go over nicely.

"Well…we don't have too many people coming. Obviously Lloyd, Colette, Genis, Zelos, Sheena, Regal, Raine and Presea are coming, and so are my aunt and uncle. Marta wanted to invite her father and said that she would try and get him out of prison for a day to escort her to the altar. If that doesn't work, then Regal opted to do it. Sheena is summoning Ratatosk and Richter, but that's it. It's pretty intimate."

"Yes. I believe you should consider the Stone Dais and Altamira for either the wedding or reception. Oh, and don't forget Flanoir. That place is simply beautiful now that most of Decus' damage has been repaired."

"But they're pretty far apart!" Emil yelled, finding Tenebrae's suggestion hypocritical when he and Raine had been preaching about being logical and practical.

"Lord Emil, I'm going to give you a little lesson in something called _atmosphere_," Tenebrae said coolly. One of Emil's hands flew over his eyes in despair. He knew that he was about to hear one of Tenebrae's infamously lengthy speeches. "Don't you see? A wedding is a grand event! Therefore, you should have a grand location to match it. What location means the most to you and Lady Marta? That should be where the actual ceremony is held."

Castagnier thought about all the possibilities. He knew the location that mattered to him the most was Altamira's Bridge. Palmacoasta's Bridge was where they'd been reunited after sealing the demonic realm (it was also where he proposed), but the bridge in Altamira was where they had shared their first kiss. In a sense, that was where their love was finally official.

"The place that matters the most…is Altamira's Bridge," he decided finally, beaming as the right answer finally hit him. It was perfect. It was romantic, large and over-the top. Best of all, the location had a meaning behind it that would only enrich the feel of the wedding.

"Now," the Centurion continued with immense satisfaction, "Let's think about the reception. That's where everyone will meet after the wedding for food and drink. Also, everyone should be able to have somewhere to stay. The location should be lively, and yet homely with a feeling of intense whimsy."

Intense whimsy? That was a more difficult one for him to think about. He went through each location in his head and debated each one in detail. One place seemed to stand out in his mind more than others.

"How about Flanoir?" he proposed to Tenebrae, who seemed to be very pleased with his answer. "I know you were talking about the Stone Dais, but Flanoir has an inn where everyone can stay and it's so beautiful at night. I remember seeing it when I was going around the world before heading to seal the door."

"I remember that," Tenebrae recalled with a smirk. "I spent a lot of time with you that day, Lord Emil."

"So…do you think that's a good place?"

"It's not my wedding."

"I…I think it is the perfect place," Castagnier started with hesitation. Seconds later, he was certain. "No. I know it is. I want our reception to be in Flanoir."

"Wonderful!" the Centurion cheered. If he had been a human, he would have been clapping his hands and applauding the young man. "Alright. Now we only have one more location to go. This one is very important Lord Emil, so please give it your upmost consideration.

"One more place?" Emil asked blankly, not knowing what Tenebrae was talking about. "But we already have a place for the ceremony and after party…so what else is left?"

"Why, the honeymoon location, of course."

"H-Honeymoon?" Emil squeaked, turning a little red. Well, a honeymoon wasn't technically part of the wedding, but he did have to think about it. Knowing how brash Marta was, she'd want to rush to the honeymoon location the day after the wedding. It's not that he wasn't okay with that. He just had no idea where the best location would be.

"Well…Marta wouldn't be wearing a wedding dress…so we could go somewhere a little more rural and quiet."

"Yes. You mentioned the Asgardian Stone Dais earlier, but you didn't choose it for the wedding or for the reception. Why?"

"Well…Asgard is nice and it's beautiful, but we don't really have many special memories there. But…"

"But what?" the Centurion insisted, wanting to learn about what the young lord was thinking of. "Wasn't it the first place where you two held hands as a couple? It was also where you both meant Colette. That was the day your journey as a team really began."

After Tenebrae spoke, a light of realization flicked across the blond man's visage and the location took on a new and suddenly more important meaning in his eyes. Tenebrae was right. After Emil and Marta had joined forces in Luin, Asgard was their first destination as a team. It was also where they'd meant Colette. She hadn't only been vital to the journey or World Regeneration years before where Mithos attempted to transform her into the vessel for Martel's spirit, but she had helped them immensely on their own journey. Accepting Colette had been a major milestone in Marta's life. The town itself was nice, but not overly glamorous or showy. In a sense, it was almost like a tranquil resort.

"Perhaps Asgard would be the best place for our honeymoon," he contemplated aloud, humming in thought. "But Marta never asked me to pick out a spot for the honeymoon. She only asked me to think about the location for the actual wedding. What if she already has her heart set on a place?"

"While I adore Lady Marta, she does not have a penchant for thinking far ahead," Tenebrae said curtly. Emil almost thought it would be rude to laugh, but he couldn't disagree. He loved Marta, but Tenebrae's statement was awfully true.

"You know that Marta's a hopeless romantic, right?" Emil asked with a chuckle, stroking Tenebrae's head and scratching him affectionately between his ears. "It wouldn't surprise me if she already had an idea."

Before Tenebrae had a chance to reply, the sound of a creaking door came from the other side of the building. The silver-haired professor stepped around the corner kindly, her glossed lips smiling at the young man gently. Emil was prepared to be scolded again, but Raine didn't say a word for a minute or so. The half-elf sat beside Emil and beamed at him apologetically.

"R-Raine? What is it?"

"I happened to have a talk with Marta a few days ago," she chimed like a songbird. "It was when she was inviting me to help her go dress shopping. I asked her if she had any idea about what she wanted to do afterwards, and do you know what she told me?"

The man shook his head. Raine stole his tan hand in her porcelain grip and squeezed it tenderly.

"She told me that she didn't care about what happened afterwards, as long as you were with her. When I asked her about her honeymoon out of curiosity, she giggled and told me that it didn't matter where they went. As long as she could hold your hand and stare into the eyes of her husband, she didn't have a preference. That was the most romantic thing to her. That's what she told me anyways."

Even when he heard the words from someone else's mouth, they still lifted his heart to immeasurable heights. It was impossible to describe how he felt at that moment. Smirking confidently, he looked at Raine squarely and squeezed her hand in turn.

"Raine, may I be excused?"

"Of course you may."

"I need to see Lloyd and the others. Are they all still in Meltokio?"

"They should be," Raine said with a small shrug. "If you have any extra room, I'll fly over there with you."

To be honest, Emil was very happy that Raine was coming along with him to see everybody. After all, he wanted her to be involved in the process as well. She was so much wiser than he was. Even when she was on the journey to regenerate the world, she was much more mature than he could ever be, no matter how old he became.

"Thank you, Raine."

"Not at all," she said with a kindly smile. "But if I hear one more word about your _intimacy_ with Marta, I'll have to hit you again, understand?"

She winked at him playfully and he nodded, scratching his head in embarrassment. Both of them made their way to the front of town where his rheaird was parked. Both climbed aboard and sailed towards the former Tethe'allan city to break the good news to their anxious peers. Tenebrae followed behind swiftly, chuckling the entire way.

Truly, it was the first time a mortal ceremony had really made him excited.

XOXOXOXOXO

Sebastian was cleaning the windows of the Wilder household when he happened to catch a glimpse of some metallic sailing near their lawn. Smiling, he rushed downstairs to fetch his master.

"Master Zelos," the man said anxiously as his gesticulated his gloved hands out to the lawn. "I believe your other two companions have arrived."

Everyone was gathered in the parlor of the mansion and could see Emil and Raine landing the machines gracefully. Everyone instantly ran out to greet them. Genis, who was extremely excited to see his sister after an entire day of dress shopping, was the first to sprint out the door and greet them. "Hey Sis! Hey Emil! How are you both?"

Both gave a chipper reply when the sound of someone clearing their throat came from overhead. Genis looked up and saw Tenebrae looking rather neglected. He laughed and said with compassion, "And how are you, Tenebrae?"

"Very well until you ignored me," the Centurion said as he floated weightlessly down to the ground and stood beside his master. Emil smiled down at him and scanned over the crowd of intelligent and strong people that were helping him with his wedding. He felt incredibly humble and undeserving, but he didn't dare apologize. Instead, he thanked them graciously. After a few minutes of excited chatter, Emil noticed there was a face missing from the crowd.

"Where's Marta?"

"She's upstairs taking a bath," said Presea with a small smile. "So…Emil…"

"Yeah?"

"Have you decided?" Lloyd asked, almost jumping up and down. "I really want to know! So…can you tell us?"

When the blond nodded, Sheena was the first to lean in and ask, pushing all the other curious listeners out of the way. "So, where do we all need to be next month?"

"The wedding will be at Altamira's Bridge at sundown and the reception will be at Flanoir."

Everyone seemed to approve. Out from the crowd, a single hand rose into the air and caught Emil's attention. Colette apparently had a question and was raising her hand to be called on. Raine chuckled and pointed to her amidst her talkative comrades.

"Yes, Colette?"

"Where will your honeymoon be?" she asked with a sweet smile. That was a little odd. Emil would have expected Zelos to be the first one to ask about the honeymoon. When he said it would be in Asgard, said man groaned. He said Emil should have chosen a livelier, party city with more attractive women and swimsuits.

Typical Zelos, Emil thought to himself as Sheena swiftly inserted her foot into his gut.

"Have you all decided on positions yet?" Regal asked curiously. "I mean, there aren't many people coming…so how will the ceremony play out?"

Emil chuckled and declared that they'd already decided upon the positions a while back. Castagnier had been waiting for the right moment to tell them and, with everyone currently riled up, he decided now would be the perfect timing. Lloyd was his best man, Genis and Presea would be the flower bearers, Regal and Raine would hold the rings and Sheena was the main bridesmaid who was in charge of also holding Marta's dress as she walked down the aisle. Regal would also escort Marta if her father, Brute, couldn't be released from jail.

Then there was the bombshell.

"Zelos…Colette," he began slowly, smiling and turning to the two Chosens. "Marta and I talked about it and…would it be possible for you both to perform our wedding ceremony?"

Colette lit up like a firework and Zelos was actually speechless for a few moments.

"W-Woah…Bud #2…are you sure?" the redhead asked the blond, who answered his question with a confident nod.

"Zelos and I are going to be the ones to marry you both?" Colette asked, her cerulean eyes gleaming with pure joy. "Are you sure? Oh wow…this is amazing! Y-Yeah, I'll do it!"

"Ah hell, I'll do it too," Wilder replied with a clench of his fist. "Alright! Now comes the real scramble to get things done!"

"We can do it," Lloyd said as he threw his arm around Emil's shoulder. "We've already proven that we can do anything as a group, but this could be our most difficult challenge since Mithos!" he said, causing everyone to laugh in camaraderie.

Everyone was so busy rejoicing on the lawn that they didn't notice Marta watching them from the upstairs window. She'd finished her bath half an hour earlier and was dressed in a silk nightgown with her wet hair pulled back messily. Watching everyone smiling faces almost made her forget about what had just happened moments earlier. She sighed deeply and closed the curtains.

All of a sudden, tears came to her eyes. She didn't know if they were tears of joy or fright. Shivering, she took one last look in the sink. Just to be sure, she picked up the object again and stared at it for another few moments.

"Emil…" she whispered, smiling through her tears. She remembered their last night together fondly. "I can't thank you enough…"

She put the positive pregnancy test in the trash and resolved to go get dressed and meet the others downstairs.

**-END-**

Wow…it's a boring chapter. I'm sorry…but this was just all the stuff that needed to be explained before the big day. After things, things will pick up a lot!

Hope you enjoyed! R&R if you have the time! Thanks again to all my dedicated readers for your constant support.


	15. Always be strong

Title: After The Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to the locations or characters mentioned in this fanfic. Please credit Namco for their brilliant work, not me.

Rating: T

Author's Note: Yay! Almost time for the wedding. I'll try to upload two chapters today, so this one may be a little shorter than usual. If I don't upload both today, the second one will be uploaded a little after midnight. Still, I hope you enjoy!

**-START-**

The month leading up to the wedding was frantic for the nine wedding participants. Marta was busy coordinating the flowers and bridesmaid dresses. She didn't tell anybody about her secret pregnancy for a few weeks. The woman held on to the secret as long as she could before her condition began to manifest outside of her body.

There was no bulge yet, but the other girls noticed that Marta was vomiting on some mornings. Lualdi claimed it was simply stress caused by preparing for the ceremony, but the others knew better. Sheena had seen women in her village of Mizuho act similarly when she was young. As a child, a woman always vomited routinely and became exhausted right before the village chief announced the arrival of a new baby.

As the girls continued to prepare for the big day, Sheena grew surer of Marta's condition. Her stomach was still completely flat, but the girl seemed restless and her cheeks were sunken in from constantly throwing up. Colette kept pestering her about her condition, but Marta denied anything was wrong. Finally, the purple-haired woman had had enough.

One day while the other girls decided to go to Altamira and have lunch while setting up the decorations, Sheena stayed behind with Marta in Zelos' mansion. All the men were home and were gathered downstairs and talking jovially over drinks. None of them noticed that Sheena had pulled Marta upstairs and asked to talk to her privately.

Once they were alone in the guest room, the brown haired woman turned to Sheen and stared at her with wide, anxious eyes. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet and avoiding eye contact. Sheena didn't have to look at her for more than ten seconds before she was certain.

"S-Sheena…" Marta said, swallowing hard. "H-How are things coming?"

"Very well," Sheena eased in with a smile. She didn't want to confront the girl directly. She seemed shaken enough. Besides, if she hadn't even told Emil, there was the possibility that perhaps she wasn't really certain. After all, Marta's sickness only seemed to show up on a few mornings a week, not every day. Stress before weddings was common. It could have been a simple misunderstanding, but Sheena felt that the other possibility was more probable.

"You know, we've been putting up the decorations for a while," Sheena began awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. "Not the paper streamers or anything, but all the flowers we ordered are finally coming in. The chairs are set up and everything is perfect. The wedding is the day after tomorrow, isn't it?"

"Yep," Marta gushed, her entire mood suddenly changing. "I'm so excited! Everything is going so smoothly. It turns out that my dad can't participate in the procession directly, but he can attend the wedding and speak with me at the altar! That's better than nothing! He'll be able to give me away after all, even if there will be a guard next to him near the altar."

"That's good," Sheena said, smiling. She was happy Brute was recovering from the effects of the core. "But…Marta…I need to ask you something. Before we talk about anything else, can I ask you one thing?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Are…you…uh…"

"Am I what?" Marta asked, taking a step towards the woman curiously. "Are you okay?"

Sheena cleared her throat.

"Are you having…?"

"Am I having a what? Sheena, you aren't making sense.

"Well…are you pregnant?" she finally spat out, not knowing how to be any gentler.

Marta stared at her for a long time with a blank look on her face. Sheena looked back uncomfortably and saw Marta blanch and look away, her eyes desperately searching for some distraction.

"W-What? Pregnant? That's crazy! Where did you hear that?"

"I didn't hear it from anyone," the ninja said, tilting her head at Marta's bizarre reaction. "Why do you seem so panicked? I just thought I'd ask because you've been sick lately. It's not like…you're really going to _have_ a baby, right?"

Marta had to sit down. Even as she lowered herself upon the bed, her knees were trembling insanely. Sheena went to her side and took her hands tightly. Seconds later, Marta felt a small sob crawl up her throat. She stifled her cry with her hand and Sheena pulled her closer so that Marta could rest her head on her shoulder.

"How long ago did you find out?"

"Last month," Marta choked out through whimpers. "I took a pregnancy test…and it came out positive."

"Wait…you took it last month?"

"Yes…it was a few weeks after Emil and I had…" she was about to say when she backtracked dramatically. "I mean…I took it after he proposed."

Sheena nodded and patted her back, pursing her lips after realizing what had happened. She understood now. She had good reason to take the test, Sheena thought inwardly as she continued to console the woman.

"Did you feel sick before you took the test?" Sheena asked her friend. Marta shook her head. That caught Sheena by surprise. Normally people who took pregnancy tests were spurred to do so by possible symptoms. "Wait…so you got sick only after you took the test?"

Marta nodded again.

"Marta…maybe you should take the test a couple more times?" Sheena proposed. Marta bolted upright and asked her why she should take another test when the first one already came out positive. When Sheena proposed the idea of just making sure, the young woman seemed to go along with the idea. After all, she had taken it a very short time after he last intimate night with Emil. What if there was something else wrong with her. The idea was starting to make her feel even more frightened.

"Are you not happy about being pregnant?"

"No," Marta insisted suddenly. "No, I'm very happy! I'm overjoyed! I've always wanted to be a mom…and that's why I really want to be sure. After all this time…before I tell him, I need to be certain. You're right…"

"Okay," the purple-haired woman said, standing up and walking to the bathroom to get a tissue for her friend. She came back and put the soft material in Marta's hands and watched her dry her eyes and blow her nose. "You stay right here. I'll go het two more tests. That way, even if there's a mistake on one, the other two will be the majority. We'll know for sure."

Both women nodded to one another and, just as Sheena was about to go out, she grabbed Marta's arm and pulled her aside again. In a hushed voice, she inquired if it was okay to tell the others. Marta said that it was fine for the girls to know, but not any of the boys. They could not until she was sure. Most importantly of all, Emil couldn't know by any means. Even if it met the others finding out, Emil had to be in the dark until Marta was ready and certain. Marta was extremely adamant about said facts and made sure she'd pounded it into Sheena's skull as she went out to the closest store in Meltokio to make the somewhat awkward purchase. Marta would have to thank her later. For now, all she could do was sit and wait until her friend came back.

Right now, her future was sitting on a counter ready to be purchased.

XOXOXOXOXO

None of the boys noticed Sheena go out the door. Instead, they were all toasting the upcoming celebration and enjoying some of the finest spirits in the Wilder mansion. Lloyd had insisted against it and volunteered to buy the alcohol himself, but Zelos had said it was about time they'd actually enjoyed some of the expensive wine in the cellar. After all, he'd been saving it for a special occasion.

"Sorry fellas, but I'm saving the rest for my wedding!" the redheaded Chosen said jovially as he downed another glass of rich zinfandel. "I've got two bottles reserved for each of you guys! Even you, you little runt," he said to Genis with a wicked smile.

"What do you mean by that?" the warlock asked angrily. "Are you implying that I'm not going to get married? It's not your decision, Zelos!"

"I'm just saying that you'll have to confess to Presea sooner or later," he hummed inn delight, holding his glass up to the light and twirling the liquid stylishly. "I'm going to bet that Lloyd will tie the knot after Emil though."

Irving suddenly turned pink and shook his head. He took a sip of alcohol and wrinkled his nose at the taste. Although he was old enough to enjoy a nice drink, he didn't like the smell or taste of alcohol. He decided to drink water. Actually, Regal and Zelos were the only two men enjoying wine. Tenebrae was lapping some of the liquid from Lloyd's glass after the swordsman admitted that he didn't care for the drink. Eventually, he gave the entire glass to the Centurion and watched in amusement as he drank the entire glass swiftly.

"I'd like to see you get married, Regal," Genis said as his eyes wandered over to the blue-haired man. "I think you really deserve it after what you've been through!"

"My heart will always belong to Alicia," the older man said with a gentle smile. He laid a hand over his heart and closed his eyes in remembrance of his pink-haired love. "I'm forever devoted to her, even after her passing. I've yet to find another woman I've ever loved as much."

All the men stared at him with longing. It had to be amazing to be so devoted to someone that, even in death, you still loved them as if they were still alive. Emil liked to think that, even if he died, Marta would have always loved him. When they shared their first kiss, Marta swore that she would never love any man after him. It was an amazing gesture of dedication.

"Man Regal, you've got more guts than me," Zelos said as he put down the glass and threw his arms behind his head. "I could never be that dedicated to someone. Marriage sounds awesome, but I'm not fortunate enough to be one of _those_ men."

"_Those _men?" Lloyd asked, raising a brow. "You mean…there's more than one kind of man?"

Genis slammed an open palm between his eyes and Regal sighed deeply. Lloyd's inanity had gotten better, but he was still a bit of a tumbling moron. He was lovable, but still a little naïve.

"I mean that I'm not a guy most girls want to marry," Zelos explained with a small chuckle. "After all, girls want a guy who they can depend on. Hell, my friends can't even depend on me. I betrayed all you guys, remember?"

"But you came back," Lloyd said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder and giving him his most confident smirk. "You came back to us, Zelos. I trusted you, and it paid off. You were dedicated to us, just like we were to you. I have faith that you'll find someone to appreciate you."

"Bud..." the redheaded man said slowly, releasing a throaty laugh. "Well, it's nice to know you appreciate me."

"If someone can appreciate me, then someone will love you," Emil guaranteed as he held his glass into the air again. "Well then, let's have another toast! Let's toast to a future filled with enough happiness to make up for all our hardships. Let's toast that each and every one of us finds love and happiness and can find a way to live in the peaceful world you guys created."

"The world _we all_ created," Irving corrected, shoving his glass into the air. "Alright guys, cheers!"

Each man stood and clanked their glasses together. A harmonious ring echoed around the room as each drank and chatted loudly, a new sense of camaraderie restored to their group. Over the busy sounds of blissful and slightly intoxicated enjoyment, Sheena snuck back in the mansion through the front door with a small shopping back tugged under her arm. With a swift nod, she signaled her followers and beckoned them to come inside. All the other girls swiftly followed her upstairs and headed to Marta's bedroom. All the boy's were so busy drinking and talking that nobody noticed a thing.

Even the clumsy Colette didn't attract any attention when she almost slipped on the stairs. Thankfully, Raine caught her and they all continued upwards silently. The door shut quietly and a hush returned to the second floor of the Wilder mansion.

When the girls arrived upstairs, Marta took the bag thankfully and ran to the nearest bathroom.

Thirty minutes later, she was still inside. Occasionally someone would knock and ask if she was alright, and all she could do was respond 'yes' each time. She must have been nervous, judging by how much her voice was vacillating on the other side of the door.

The girls stayed in the bedroom and remained quiet. Seles had volunteered to go out with Sebastian on a shopping trip as to give them more privacy. Even though they barely knew the girl, all of them appreciated the gesture. Presea was sitting in the bed, Raine was looking out the window, Sheena was sitting upon a fancy ottoman and Colette was on the floor with her legs swept off to the side. All had different looks on their faces. They varied from anticipation from joy to concern and even worry. However, whatever the result, they would all support Marta. That had to be certain.

"I honestly can't believe this," Raine said with her arms crossed. "To be pregnant and so young…how could this have happened?"

"We know _how_ it happened," Sheena responded, exhaling and trying to keep her chin up. "It wasn't a decision made irresponsibly. Emil has a steady income and a place to stay. They're getting married…and they love each other…"

"That doesn't mean that everything will be okay," Presea droned from the bed, staring up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I'd like to think that both of them are responsible…but nobody can ever be sure of future happiness. Things could still go wrong."

Colette nodded and stood, turning to face the group of girls before her.

"Well, even if bad things happen, we'll just stand by her! Emil and Marta love each other…and if they ever need our help, then we should be there. I know that if I were in Marta's situation that I'd want my friends to be by my side."

There was an awkward silence in the room. The golden haired Chosen tilted her head in confusion and knitted her brows together.

"We…are her friends, right?"

All the women smiled slowly and nodded. Colette had a good point. Mistake or no mistake, there was nothing they could do about it now besides support Marta. Whatever happened, they would make do and be sure that she was well taken care of. Of Course, Emil would probably be as happy as she was about the news. He seemed like the kind of man that wouldn't dwell on how it happened or even why it had happened. He'd take care of the baby.

Still, Marta would be weak and need pillars. Thankfully, she'd have four very strong ones to guide her along the way and, when the boys found out, an additional five. They refused to let her crumble.

Just as Colette went to sit down, Marta opened the bathroom door. All the girls saw the three tests in her hand. All stood and watched her walk slowly to the middle of the room. Her head was down and her chestnut bangs were masking her eyes. All exchanged hesitant looks upon witnessing her entrance. Finally, Sheena took her place beside Marta.

Before anyone could speak, Marta looked up and into her friends' eyes.

"They're both negative."

All gasped. Tears rolled down Marta's cheeks.

"They're both negative. I'm…I'm not pregnant."

The second after the words left her mouth seemed to last forever. Time had frozen and all of them stared at her for what seemed to be minutes. Finally, Raine could no longer stand the silence. She took the urine-christened sticks by the clean end and examined them herself. All the girls waited for the professor's diagnosis. To everyone's shock, Raine agreed with Lualdi.

"B-But how?" Sheena asked with widened eyes and a look of total disbelief. "She's been throwing up and having mood swings…I've never seen somebody act so pregnant!"

"It was probably the stress of the wedding," Raine said as Colette went to embrace a shivering Marta. "But the tests don't lie. The first one must have been a fluke. She just took two and got the same result. That…pretty much makes this a decided matter."

Marta sniffled and hugged Colette back, burying her red face in Colette's shoulder. The blond woman held Marta' tightly, rubbing her hands up and down her back. The poor girl was shivering like a leaf. She appeared to be insanely distraught.

"Marta…" Presea cooed, walking towards the girl. She reached upwards to cradle the woman's cheek and wipe away her tears. "How…do you feel? What kind of tears am I wiping away? Are they tears of sadness…or confused joy?"

That was a question they all were eager to hear the answer to.

Colette pulled back and gave Marta some air and space. After a few deep breaths, Marta shook her head. She didn't know how she felt. A very small part of her was somewhat happy. After all, she didn't have any experience with children and she and Emil didn't even own a house! They were both so young and were bound to have arguments as newlyweds. She didn't want an innocent bay caught in the middle of such chaos.

However, a larger part of her was wrought with despair. The tears continued to pour down her face and showed no signs of stopping for a long time.

"I don't get it…" she whispered under her breath. "How can I miss something I never even had?"

Marta clenched her fists and shook her head. It wasn't fair. She'd wanted the child. It would have been complicated, but she'd wanted it. Now it was gone, just like that. She would have loved and cared for that baby. She would have made sure it grew up with the kind and gentle mother she had always longer for and dreamt about. All she wanted was to be that beacon of light she never had. Now there was nothing to guide.

There was nothing to dream for.

It had all been snatched away without her consent. It made her angry that she'd become so attached so something that was never hers. Her knees bent and Marta was pulled towards the floor.

Just when she was going to start sobbing again, she was approached by her closest friend. It was Sheena. The ninja offered Marta a hand and pulled her back up. When Lualdi got her footing, she found that Sheena was staring at her with her arms crossed and a cocky smirk on her visage. Marta raised a confused brow and inquired almost angrily about why the woman was smiling.

The answer seemed obvious to the older woman.

"Well, at least you know how you feel."

"How I feel?"

"Well…yeah. You were uncertain of how you felt before, right? You didn't really know how you wanted. Now you know that you actually want a baby because that's how you feel, not just because of an accident!"

The other girls realized what Sheena was saying and instantly chimed in to add their own viewpoints to try and cheer up the distressed Marta.

"That's right," Colette tweeted enthusiastically as she clenched her fists in determination. "Now you and Emil can start trying for a baby! I'm sure he'd be alright with it! He does love you, after all."

"Before you didn't know if it was love or obligation that tied you to the child…" Presea said, smiling gently and tucking her small hands behind her back. "Now you know that it's love."

"The perfect moment will come," Raine said in a scholarly tone that made Marta and all the other girls feel undeserving. "When you actually decide to start trying, you'll realize that the end result will be much more rewarding. I would never condemn a woman for having a baby before marriage, but a woman should always have a baby when she's ready. Even if you and Emil hadn't been married and you both knew you wanted a child, I wouldn't be any less happy than if it was born after marriage."

Marta's eyes welled up, but with new tears. They were courageous tears. She wanted to bow and express how grateful she was, but she couldn't move. She was immobilized by all the emotions rushing around inside of her mind. The ninja went to the bathroom and retrieved another tissue. She held it out to Marta and kindly urged her to take it, just as she had done earlier that day.

"We're all rooting for you," she said with an impish grin. "But you have to stop crying! Save some tears for your wedding day! Now that all this has been cleared up, all you have to think about is getting married to the man you love. I'm a little envious of your schedule."

As crazy as it sounded, so was Marta.

Even now, it still felt as if life was but a fleeting dream.

**-END- **

Next is the wedding! I don't know if the wedding and the reception will be in the same chapter, but hey, we'll see! This story has been going for two years…and I should probably stop soon, huh?

I think my next story will take place during the first game and feature my other favorite tales pairing. Also…I have another Emil x Marta story planned out, but not until after this one is done. XD

R&R, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading!


	16. I do

Title: After The Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: I do not own ToS or ToS2. Both are owned by Namco and the Tales Team(s).

Rating: T

Author's Note: I'm so tempted to make a special book cover for this series. Oh…the temptation. Actually, I'm going to do it. The first of my works to receive a book cover will be "Lovely Discovery" (Harvest Moon)…so I think now I have an excuse to do art for this fanfic. Yay! Please enjoy!

Oh…and I organized this differently from other weddings. Just because…I'm unsure how weddings actually work. XD

**-START-**

The morning of the wedding came with great haste. By the time Emil was awake, the Wilder mansion was already bustling with noise. Sounds of giggly girls and hasty footsteps echoed down the hallways. Castagnier rolled over and went to throw and arm over Marta's waist. Somewhat to his surprise, she wasn't there. He was puzzled for a brief moment. He clearly remembered the two of them going to bed at the same time.

Then realization hit and he blushed at his own absentmindedness.

Of course, it was their wedding day.

She's probably already dressed, Emil thought with a yawn and he stretched and climbed out of bed. Just as he was reaching for the doorknob, Seles slammed the door open and almost rushed against him. Emil dodged her like a graceful bullfighter and grabbed the back of her dress to prevent her from tumbling over.

"W-Woah!" he cried, making sure both of them were steady before he released her. "Seles, that was close!"

"O-Oh, Emil? Thank goodness you're up!"

"Thank goodness?" he asked, lifting his brown into a blond crescent. "The wedding doesn't start until sundown! We have lots of time."

Seles shook her head of fire-colored locks.

"Colette wanted me to wake you," she said urgently, adjusting the angle of her oversized hat after having almost taken a nasty fall. "She says that she's been trying to wake the other boys, but that none of them are budging! Can you wake them up?"

Emil nodded and told the girl to leave the task in his hands. Seles bowed gratefully and he excused her to carry out her other duties. Once she had skipped away, Emil took off his pajamas and got dressed in a white tee-shirt and a pair of loose shorts. Everyone would be formally dressed in Altamira, so he decided he most casual clothes would good enough for the early hours. He could understand the girls wanting to be ready early, but for boys, the morning of a wedding was probably a slow affair. Granted, this was his first wedding, but he'd already completed all his responsibilities as the groom. All he had to do was show up.

He walked down the hall and opened the door to see three of the four men sleeping soundly. The only one who was awake was the responsible Regal Bryant who, by the looks of it, had already gotten dressed in equally casual clothing and was sipping a small cup of tea.

"Regal…Colette was just in here and said nobody was awake," Emil asked as he walked into the room silently. The blue-haired man smirked and replied that he'd just woken up and gotten dressed. "You're a fast dresser, I guess."

"After years of being woken up to go to meetings and solve problems for an entire town, you get pretty good at it."

"Well, Mr. President, well done," Emil said with a graceful bow. Regal turned bright red and cleared his throat in embarrassment. Emil chuckled and both men decided to go downstairs and have some breakfast. Emil had contemplated waking them all up with a weak attack via Nether Traitor, but decided against it. Regal said that he'd set off an alarm clock he'd spotted on the nightstand that wound ring in about five minutes. Figuring the solution was good enough, Emil got to work making breakfast. Not wanting anything too heavy before the day of activity, he decided to make sourdough doughnuts. Just as the delicious rings were sizzling over the stove, Emil heard and earth-shattering buzz come from the upstairs floor. He then heard the sounds of loud cursing and crashing. He then saw a certain silver-haired warlock tumble down the staircase sleepily, yawning when he reached the bottom. Seconds later, a knocked-out Lloyd flew off the top step and landed right on top of Genis' body.

"Ugh…Lloyd!" he yelled clumsily, struggling to get the man off of his back before he was crushed. "Get off! You're too heavy!"

Lloyd continued to snore loudly and drool in his sleep. Emil helped Genis out from under the man and heard Zelos march over to the staircase angrily.

"Hey, what the hell up with that freaky alarm?" he asked, running his fingers through his mussed hair. "Jeez…you could have been gentler with the wake-up call…"

Regal apologized briefly and went back to helping the young man prepare breakfast. Genis opted to make coffee and told everyone that the smell of delicious food and drink would eventually wake the hard-headed man.

"So, Emil," Genis began, stirring creamer into the individual mugs of coffee as he spoke. "Did you finish your vows? I saw you working on it a little before, so I assume you finished."

"I did," he heaved, taking a long sip of coffee and exhaling in bliss as it warmed his chest cavity. "I completely forgot about it until yesterday, but I finished before I went to bed. For some reason, Marta didn't come to bed until it was really late. Her eyes were really red. I asked her if something was wrong, but she said no. I knew she was lying…but I didn't want to pester her. Anyway, because she came to bed late, I had time to work on my vow before she got in!"

"Can we hear it?" Regal asked curiously.

"Sorry, but I'd like to read it at the wedding only," he said with a small laugh. "I thought about reading it to you guys…but I think I'd get embarrassed!"

All the men heard footsteps. All turned to see Lloyd stumbling into the kitchen blindly, his hand groping for something to shove into his mouth. Genis gave him a mug and the swordsman downed almost half of the liquid before wiping his mouth and speaking to the other men in the room.

"Hey guys…" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes lazily. "Uh…when's the wedding start?"

"At sundown," all replied blankly, blinking.

"So…why are we all up now?"

"Seles wanted us to be," Emil said, taking another sip of coffee and returning to his cooking. "I think that after breakfast we'll head over to Altamira and start the ceremony. Everyone has to get their clothes together and get dressed. Other than that…I don't think there's much we can do but wait."

Lloyd nodded and continued to drink thirstily from his mug. After he was finished, he wiped her mouth with his wrist and seemed to be fully awakened. Although Lloyd was air-headed, he was also extremely energetic. That was good, considering that the wedding itself would take an hour or two, not including the reception. He wanted the occasion to be joyous, not tiresome.

"Hey…Emil," Irving asked, putting his cup in the sink and reaching over the blonde's shoulder to snatch up a doughnut. "This is that last morning that you're going to be a single man! Does it feel weird?"

Castagnier shook his head. Zelos complained that his response was uninteresting, but in Emil's defense, he simply didn't feel nervous or frightened. After all, he was marrying the woman he loved. He wanted to be with her forever. In his eyes, marriage just made it official.

"I'm a little anxious, but that's just because I want everything to go smoothly for Marta. After all, she is a hopeless romantic! If something went wrong, she'd get very angry…and besides, this is a day she's always dreamed of! As her husband, I want to give her whatever I can!"

"What about a baby?" Zelos asked blatantly. Everyone grew silent and stared at the man awkwardly, not understanding why he'd suddenly asked such a personal question. "It is Marta, after all…and a wedding night is an important time for a couple. Are you both…going to start trying soon, or do you not want kids?"

At first, Castagnier didn't know how to reply.

After plating all the sugary treats on different plates for everyone, he turned to Zelos and straightforwardly declared, "If Marta wants children, then so do I. Since I'm a summon spirit…I don't know how our child will turn out, but I've always wanted to be a father. No matter what…I want Marta to be the mom. It's better to start sooner than later, right?"

"I suppose," Wilder declared with a shrug, averting his gaze. Emil wondered if the redheaded had his own romantic interest. He thought the concept of Zelos getting married was excellent and prayed for it desperately.

After all, they'd been through so much. Each one of them deserved happiness.

XOXOXOXOXO

After breakfast, all the men arrived in Altamira. Each man got dressed with haste and reported to the railway so they could be carried off to the casino. All the men were dressed in grey suits with light blue ties, except for Zelos, who wore a navy tie. Emil was wearing a black suit with a blue and white striped tie and s white handkerchief tucked in his chest pocket. He wore no gloves, but all the groomsmen did. It didn't take a lot of time to get dressed and, rights as the final preparations were completed, they arrived at the Altamira casino. Just next to the casino was the bridge where the ceremony was to be held. Ribbons and flowers were tied around the railing, covering the cold stone in a romantic warmness that seemed to engulf the entire structure. Aunt Flora an Uncle Alba were seated close to the front, anxious to see the boy they had raised marry the woman he loved. They'd come so far since Emil had fled Luin. Both were holding hands tightly and Flora was crying lightly into an embroidered tissue. Brute was standing near the altar. There were handcuffs on his arms and a guard beside him, but Marta was simply thankful that he was able to come.

As the sun slipped further beneath the shimmering blanket of ocean, each person took their place. Zelos and Colette approached the pedestal together, arm in arm. Zelos was dressed in a sleek gray suit with a navy tie and Colette was dressed in the bridesmaid dress that Marta had picked out. It was the first time Emil had seen the gowns, and they looked very nice. Marta had chosen a perfect shade of pastel blue that complemented everyone's skin tone perfectly. The dress varied in length from girl to girl. Colette and Presea wore shorter dresses that reached the knee while Raine and Sheena wore dresses that were longer in length. White heels completed the outfit, expect for Presea, who wore flats. Two thin straps held the dress up and, at the waist there was a boned structure that displayed each girl's figure. There were cascading ruffles on the longer dresses and, on the shorter dresses, a ring of small frills. Each girl held a bouquet of white roses. Emil smiled as he watched the ceremony from afar, waiting for the cue to start walking.

The two Chosens approached the stand and turned to face the other members of the audience. There were other inhabitants from Palmacoasta who'd showed up, such as Thomas the fisherman, Mrs. Dorr and even a girl named Chocolat. Lloyd had insisted they invited her, and Emil didn't mind.

Towards the back, Sheena had summoned Ratatosk and Richter. The redheaded man was smirking and adjusting his glasses at the sight of the ceremony. Ratatosk, who had donned a black cloak, was watching intently from under the hood. He appeared to have a look of peaceful content on his face when Emil gazed at him. Tenebrae lingered beside him, tail swishing back and forth.

Zelos looked into the distance and waved his hand. Music began to play over the speaker system from the casino. Emil chuckled and advanced forward. Once he reached the row were Aunt Flora and Uncle Alba sat, they stood and took their places on either side of him. Both escorted the man to the front of the altar where each gave the blonde boy their enormous blessings.

"Emil," Alba began, hugging the man tightly. "Even after all you've been through, you still managed to find happiness and build yourself up into a strong young man. I couldn't be more proud of you. I only hope that you treat your future children and beautiful wife with as much kindness and patience as you have now…because I want to see you happy. Always."

Emil sighed and embraced the man back. "I will! Thank you…uncle!"

He pulled back and turned to his aunt, unsure if he could hear anymore without tearing up slightly.

"Please," she said kissing his cheek and hugging him as tightly as she could. "Don't ever change, Emil! You've become so strong and admirable…I can't even begin to describe how proud I am of you. Promise me you'll have a happy life."

Of course, Emil thought as he reached up to cover his blushing face. The ceremony hadn't even started yet and he was already a little emotional. Thankfully, he managed to pull himself together and not cry. Seconds later, his dry face looked up at her proudly.

"Thank you both so much…I'm so happy you're both here. That alone is amazing…and I hope you'll be with me in the future too."

They both nodded and tearfully took their seats. Emil turned back to the altar and smiled at his two friends. Colette nodded down the aisle and, just like they'd planned, everyone began to make their way down the narrow straight. First, Lloyd and Sheena walked together. They both wore ridiculously happy smiles. Sheena went to the side of the altar with Brute while Lloyd got behind Emil and nudged him playfully.

Finally, a signature piece played. It was a slow beat that signaled that the bride was about to walk. He swallowed and took a deep breath. He was so happy that he thought he was shaking. However, he just turned and looked straight ahead with a confident smile on his face. He was finally going to see the woman he loved so dearly walk down the aisle as his bride. He was not anxious because of fright, but from excitement and joy. He could hardly contain himself.

Genis and Presea walked with their arms hooked together. Genis was blushing slightly, but handling the matter quite well compared to how he usually acted with her. Presea carried a tiny bouquet and basket of white rose petals. Delicately, she sprinkled the tiny petals onto the ground to create a path for Marta.

Colette nodded as both Genis and Presea took their places. Three more people were walking down the aisle. Regal was escorting Marta and Raine was following behind her, carrying the train of her dress until they got to the carpeted area. Regal and Raine then approached the altar together and Brute took Regal's place beside his daughter, smiling at her before giving her away.

Finally, Marta was close enough for Emil to see fully.

He found himself in complete awe at the woman in front of him. She'd grown so much from when she was sixteen, and it was never more obvious to him than it was standing with her across from him in her lacy, white gown and cascading veil. Everything about her that he loved was totally manifest. She always looked beautiful, but now, she looked like an angel that had descended from Heaven (which was quite a statement, considering Colette was right behind him.) He must have looked quite more mature as well, he thought, clearing his throat. He suddenly felt a little self-conscious. Still, his attention was drawn back to Marta almost instantly, and all other thoughts ceased at that very moment.

Marta smiled at her future husband and turned to her father who, despite the shackles on his wrists, still glowed with complete excitement and joy.

"Daddy…thank you."

"Marta," he said, stroking her blushing cheek. "Your mother would have loved to be here. Even though she's not standing beside me, she's here, and she sees how beautiful you look. She sees the glimmer in your eyes when you look at him, and I know that you've chosen the perfect man for your husband. Just…please remember me. Just because you're married…I don't want you to forget about me."

"I'll never forget about you, Daddy," she whispered, kissing his cheek with her glossed lips. "I love you. I'll always love you. Next to Emil, you're the number one man in my life…and that will never change!"

Brute chuckled softly and turned to Emil. Stiffening, Emil muttered his thanks to the older man and shook his hand, trying to seem as mature and perfect for the man as possible. Thankfully, Brute remembered how Emil had saved him from the effects of the cores and stopped Richter. There was no question in his mind that Emil was the perfect man for his daughter.

After a quick warning that consisted of him explaining that he would beat a certain expletive out of Emil if he ever hurt his daughter, he took a seat with a smile on his face. The guard returned to the man's side, but he seemed slightly less strict than he had when they'd first entered.

Emil offered Marta a hand as she ascended the small step near the altar. The whole case was elevated on a pedestal that required that Emil and Marta stand on steps, even though they were on a bridge. It made the whole ceremony look cleaner, and it gave Emil an excuse to keep a firm hold on Marta's hand as they stood near the top.

"_You look stunning_," Emil mouthed out to her silently.

"_R-Really? Thank you…Emil."_

Zelos cleared his throat and proceeded to read from a script before him. The whole speech was a basic statement of how the ceremony being held was a display of true love and affection that he had had the privilege of watching blossom. He even stated that, at first, he thought Emil and Marta were total brats when he'd first met them. Everyone laughed, including Emil and Marta, because they knew it was probably true.

"Regardless, we are gathered here today to witness the marriage of Emil Castagnier and Marta Lualdi," Zelos said finally, looking out over the crowd of people as each individual applauded. "Who, today, shall vow to honor each other in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad for as long as they both shall live in the United World."

Colette signaled for the music to stop.

"Well, I believe you both have rings," he said with a smirk. "Let's get them out here!"

Emil turned and got his ring from his groomsmen while Marta got a simple gold band from her bridesmaids. Marta opted to say her vow first before slipping the ring on his finger.

"Emil…when I first saw you, you were less than strong," she began.

Emil laughed and nodded, admitting openly that it was true.

"As time pressed on, I built up an image of you. An image of a knight who would come and save me! While you weren't the knight I pictured, it turned out that you everything I had ever seen searching for, plus more. Not only did you save me, but you protected me from harm at the expense of your own life. Even knowing you could die and vanish forever, you kept fighting. You fought for a great purpose. I've fallen in love with you because you're brave, strong and the most perfect man in the world. You were shaped by hardship and your destiny, and you never wavered. I want to be just like you, Emil. I always want to learn from you and, thankfully, I believe I already have. Just being here proves how much you've impacted me. The man I used to dream of was replaced the moment I saw you…and I knew that you would be my prince."

She sighed and slipped the ring on his finger. Gathering himself, he took Marta's hand and readied himself to put the ring on her finger.

"Marta…when I first saw you, I thought you were overly headstrong and a little naïve," he taunted lightly.

She giggled and nodded, sensing his play on her own vows.

"Still, within you, I could see there was passion. Passion for life and a purpose for living that I had never felt before. You were the woman who came along and unlocked the cage I'd built around myself. I was shocked by your beauty and also how joyful you were. I never knew it was even possible for one person to be so happy…and now I know that it's uncommon. Very uncommon. However, that's what makes me love you. You were always so happy that I sometimes wondered if you were seeing this imaginary, pure world that I was completely missing. When I'm with you, I can feel the presence of that world. I promise that, as your husband, I'll never let you know one day of misery or suffering. You are a part of me…and I'll never let you go. Ever."

Emil slipped the sparkling ring on her fingers. When he looked at her face, he could see that tears were running down her face. She was looking at him with incredible admiration. He reached over and wiped away some of her tears so that her gloves would become stained. Colette, who was struggling not to cry, finally looked over the audience one last time.

"Emil Castagnier, do you swear to love and cherish this woman for as long as you live?" the angelic Chosen asked, wiping her eyes.

"I do."

"Marta Lualdi, do you swear to love and cherish this man for as long as you live?" Zelos questioned, smiling at the younger woman.

"I do!"

"Is there anyone here who objects to the reunion of this couple?"

Nobody raised a hand. He could see Ratatosk towards the back snicker to himself and wink at his green-eyed counterpart. Emil winked back.

"Then if nobody here objects to the union of these two individuals, I hereby pronounce you both husband and wife!" she chimed merrily.

There was a sudden uproar of clapping and cheering from everyone, even Richter and Ratatosk. Tenebrae leaped up on the nearest chair and let a small smile dance upon his canine visage. Aunt Flora finally broke down and Brute actually felt a little weak in the knees at the sight. Lloyd and Sheena hugged and Presea leaned on Genis' shoulder lovingly. Raine and Regal chuckled and laughed maturely, but everyone could see Raine's eyes were glassier than usual. Even the two Chosens hugged each other tightly out of joy.

"Alright you two," Zelos piped up, leaning over the podium wickedly. "You know what that means! Let's see a kiss!"

Both blushed slightly and stared at each other for a moment. Emil took a step towards Marta, leaning over so that she wouldn't have to stand on her tip-toes to reach. He lifted one hand to her shoulder and another one to the back of her head. He cradled her body softly and brought her forward swiftly.

The two shared their first kiss as a married couple.

Emil pressed his lips against Marta's, kissing her deeply yet chastely. Marta pushed herself further into the kiss and snaked her arms around his strong neck, leaning back so her husband could hold her body closer to his own. Emil wrapped his arms around her waist and powerfully claimed her beautiful lips as his own, tasting the angelic woman before him with enough sensuality to raise another roar of cheers. Knowing that Brute would probably kill him if he went any further, he pulled back and let his hands fall from her body. Instead, he held both of her hands and they ran down the aisle happily as all eight of their closest companions followed behind shortly.

The people in the audience stood and clapped loudly as everyone began to steadily file off the bridge and head for Flanoir. Regal, as a wedding gift, had hired a crew to clean up the entire bridge from the wedding so that everyone could go straight to the reception. Audience members readied themselves to leave while Ratatosk, Richter and Tenebrae simply watched in awe, speechless at how far everyone had come and how much everything had changed.

"He'll live out the rest of his life on Earth, and then return to the Demonic Realm?" Ratatosk asked the Centurion, who nodded. "Well, I glad he got to have this. I already stole this moment away from one man…and I'll be damned if I steal it away from two."

Richter knew he was talking about Aster and nodded quietly, staring at the ground.

"I'm glad that I didn't kill him," Asbend admitted. "This was beautiful. It really gives you hope for the future, doesn't it?"

"Quite so," Tenebrae hummed, flying off after the couple as the two deities vanished into the ground in a black puff of smoke. Sheena picked up the two charms she'd used from the ground and tucked them in the bustier of her dress. All of them jogged after Emil and Marta happily, clapping and cheering. It had been so much work that had finally paid off.

The young newlyweds had already made it to the end of the bridge.

"So," Emil asked gaily as they ran along the cobblestone, sweeping Marta off her feet and carrying her bridal style. "How does it feel to be Mrs. Marta Castagnier?"

"Ah, it feels amazing!" she cheered, throwing her bouquet into the raging throng of spectators behind her. "It's like I'm dreaming! I can't even believe how lucky I am!"

He laughed and both mounted a Rheaird. All their luggage was at the inn at Flanoir (Raine had transported it as her wedding gift) which meant that they could fly straight to the snowy town without any detours. Emil climbed on and assisted Marta in getting behind him. After a huge blast from the engines, she wrapped her arms around his waist tightly and both, happy as can be, soared upwards into the sky, leaving only a faint trail of milky smoke behind them.

She could hear the ovation from people down below, but they were nothing in comparison to the sound of Emil's steady heartbeat. She pressed her cheek against his back and felt the steady rhythm lure her into a state of blissful relaxation. She didn't even notice the cold of the environment when they arrived in town. All she could think about was her future and how she was going to spend it was the best husband in the world.

The best part was that she knew the opportunities were endless.

**-END- **

I finished this at 2:33 a.m.…so by the time you get this, it'll be later today. Sorry this took so long to write. XD

R&R, and let me know how you liked the wedding! Again, flames are alright as long as they are about my writing and not the characters or plot of ToS (basically anything I didn't make up.)

Alrighty guys, see ya later!


	17. I want to talk to you alone

Title: After The Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: All rights to the Tales franchise belong to their respective owners, not me. Please only credit me for the fanfic.

Rating: T

Author's Note: I had a tiny surgery and I'm happy to say I'm fully recovered. Yay! Now, on with the new chapter! I hope you all enjoy!

**-START-**

"I didn't know we invited all these people!" Marta exclaimed as she came down the stairs, having changed from her wedding dress into a midnight-colored cocktail dress. She overlooked the main floor of Flanoir's biggest inn to see it was packed beyond belief. Most of the faces belonged to friends or family, but some were completely unfamiliar.

"We didn't," Emil chuckled, casting Marta a sideways grin. "I wouldn't worry. I've only paid for the food of the real guests! No harm, no foul! Besides, everyone appears to be having fun."

"Especially Zelos," Marta said, pointing to the redhead amidst a large crowd of women. Emil agreed and they both laughed. He looked back at her in her dress and smiled, reaching out to kiss her palm tenderly.

"You look beautiful."

She blinked. Wow, it was such a direct phrase for him to say that she was speechless. Emil had become more confident lately, but even she had to admit that what he just said had shocked her. Blushing, she thanked him and moved her hand from his lips so that she could kiss him. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist. He was still wearing his suit from the wedding, minus the jacket. In just the waistcoat, tie and shirt, she thought he still looked incredibly attractive. Of course, it would be more on an occasion if he wasn't.

"I…wanted to talk to you…" she said, smiling and playfully tugging on his shoulder. "It's kind of…a private thing. Can we go to our room?"

She ended her question in a giggle that made her impossible to resist. He agreed happily and left the totally sober Lloyd and Colette in charge of the party while they were gone.

They climbed the stairs to their room on the far side of the inn. Marta locked the door while Emil went over to the bed, sitting down on the edge casually. He looked up at her, still grinning stupidly and staring off at her dreamily.

"You haven't stopped smiling since the wedding!" she declared with a laugh, leaning over to tap the tip of his nose playfully. "Now that I think of it, I can't remember the last time I saw you frown out of sadness. I'm glad to see you're happy!"

"Now that I have you, there's no reason for me to be sad," he said, taking her hand. "That's…not what you called me up here for, is it? What did you want to talk about?"

Her smile vanished and was replaced by a small frown. She nodded and sat beside him, looking at his face. The closer she came to speaking, the more worried Emil looked. She finally decided to just come out and ask before she lost her nerve.

"Well…how...um…do you feel about…?"

"About what?" he asked with a smile as he took her hand. Then, in a sudden strike on awareness, he realized what she wanted to say. He lowered his gaze to her belly. "A-Are you?" he asked carefully, his tone unreadable. That worried her more.

"N-No. I thought I was, but it was negative."

He sighed.

"Are you happy I'm not…?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm kind of disappointed, actually."

She turned red. Without wasting a second, she got up and kneeled in front of him, confused and bewildered. "Wait…you're sad…about me not being pregnant?"

"Yeah," he admitted shamelessly. She blushed. He chuckled and ruffled her hair. "What? Did you think I would make love to you without thinking about you getting pregnant? I was kind of hoping for it. Well…_really _hoping for it."

Her heart thumped so loudly in her chest that it almost hurt.

"I've always thought about what you'd be like as a mom…and me as a dad. I can't wait for the day when it's not just a dream anymore."

"What?" she asked, eyes wide and her mouth agape. She was fidgeting like crazy. Emil took her shoulders and watched her speak with his classic smile. "Are you serious, Emil? H-Honestly, if I was pregnant, you wouldn't care? We just got married. Most men would…well…I dunno. Wouldn't you want to wait?"

"Why?" he asked, caressing her reddened cheek before placing a tender kiss on her temple. "I love you. I have a job that gives me a good income. My family is finally together. Your father is safe. The world is back to normal. Married or not, I want you to be the mother of my child. As long as we could take care of the baby and you love me enough to give me one, I would love for you to be pregnant. I'd marry you anyway because I love you," he said with a wink.

Marta stood slowly. She stared into his eyes for a few moments to see if she could sense any trace of lying or exaggeration. When she spied none, she felt weak from joy and relief. Marta thought he would have gotten angry with her and stormed off. She didn't know why, and looking back on it, the notion seemed incredibly silly to her. With her heart racing crazily in her chest, Marta leaned down to embrace him. Before she could move, Emil swept her up in his arms and kissed her.

"Emil!" she cried out in joy, laughing as they playfully spun around the room in each other's arms. When exhaustion consumed them, they both collapsed on the bed in a fit of laughter. When they finally calmed down, Marta took his hand and rolled over on top of him, looking down at her husband. "So…does that mean we can start trying for a baby? Officially, I mean."

"You don't need my permission for that," he said with a kind chuckle. "More importantly, would you be the mother of my children? You were so scared to talk to me earlier…so, do you not want to be a mom?"

She playfully hit him upside the head for being so dumb. He hissed in pain and looked at her with a face that resembled a kicked puppy. She giggled and tugged on his tie, pulling their faces close enough to make both their faces turn pink.

"I only want to be the mom if you're the dad."

He laughed and tilted his head at her sweetly. "Well, I can arrange that for you!"

"When?" she asked, snaking her arms around his neck. He pushed her onto the bed and trailed kissed down her supple neck, slowly plucking the cocktail dress from her body.

"Hm…I'm thinking right now."

**-END-**

Here's a short chapter to give everyone a break. Would you guys like a honeymoon night? I can write it and publish is separately, otherwise…I'll leave it up to imagination. XD

(I will do the aftermath though. Come on, guys…I can't _not _do it!)

I hope you enjoyed! R&R if you can, because every little thing helps! I'll see you soon! Bye!


	18. Lloyd's a great guy

Title: After The Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of any part of the Tales franchise. Please only credit me for the fanfic itself.

Rating: T

Author's Note: Woo hoo, we're back! Time to write some more! I'm sorry, it won't be much longer before this story ends, I promise! However, we've got to tie up all the loose ends, right? We'll tie up a few right now, but I hope you enjoy this chapter! Drop a review if you can! Now…let's get to it!

**-START-**

Colette spread her wings and lifted Lloyd up by his arms. Together, they soared through the skies and over the rolling hills of the united world. Both of them scanned the land for anything akin to what Emil had described to them earlier.

"I can't believe it's been three months since those two got married!" Lloyd remarked loudly over the roar of the wind. "They already have a house! Talk about getting lucky."

"Where did they say it was again?" Colette asked as she kept her eyes peeled. "I thought they said it was near Palmacoasta, but I don't see it…"

Colette swooped downward and got closer, trying to examine each building intently. Emil had told them their house was still being built, but that the navy roof was finished. It stood out very well from the sky because all the other buildings in the town were pastel colored. The two still had an impossible time spotting it and were about to give up and try to get their on foot when a bird happened to fly right past Colette's cheek. Startled, she screamed and sent both of them tumbling through the air uncontrollably, her arms flailing from fright.

"C-Colette!" Lloyd hollered, seeing the ground grow closer at an alarming rate. The blonde angel finally regained her composure and grabbed him again just in time to slow their fall. When they hit the ground with a soft thump, both felt sand beneath their bodies and knew they had landed on a beach instead of land. "O-Ouch…are you alright…?" he asked her as he rubbed his sore behind.

"Lloyd! I'm so sorry! The bird surprised me, and…I just got scared. I'll be more careful."

"Don't worry about it," he said with a laugh. He offered a hand to pull her up. Colette bent down to brush off her outfit and saw something out of the corner of her eye. She looked off to the right and gasped sharply. Quickly grabbing the sleeve of Lloyd's red coat, she pointed dramatically to something in the distance. They had landed right near Palmacoasta, but there was something different about it. "Lloyd! Look at that!"

He looked over and instantly saw what Colette was talking about. It was a house at the very end of town with a dark navy roof and coral accents that made it blend in with the beach theme of Palmacoasta. Some of the walls were still being constructed, but the roof was completed and the structure was firmly connected to the city walkways.

It seemed that they'd successfully found Emil and Marta's house on accident.

"Your clumsiness really is miraculous," Lloyd laughed, patting the girl on the back as they walked closer to it. Neither of them saw Emil and Marta and figured they had to be inside. As they walked, it all began to sink all. Lloyd had moved on with his own life and so had Colette. All of his teammates were grown up and living their own lives. Still, there was something so surreal about it happening to Emil and Marta. Lloyd had been nineteen when he'd met the two sixteen-year-olds and, as a result of that early encounter, he still couldn't picture them as adults. They both looked older and acted older, but both kept their same personalities. Colette was the same. Genis was the same. Everyone else was still the same, but to others who didn't know them well, they must have seemed like completely different people than when they set out on their journey to regenerate the world. "This is so surreal…I can't believe they're both here…and they're alive and happy."

Colette smiled and nodded as they advanced forward.

"You know…Marta told me that they've been trying for a baby."

"Really?" Lloyd asked. "That's great! I wish them luck!"

He was happy, but he hid another feeling. He never dreamed Emil would be brave enough to want a baby. Hell, the thought made Lloyd weak and he was a well-known hero. "I know they can do it! It's just…wow…has it really been that long? This is all so weird!"

She nodded in agreement but could fully erase a faint look of sadness on her face. Lloyd stopped and put a hand on her shoulder to ask her what was wrong. She tried to giggle and hide it, but Lloyd picked up on her lie and told her firmly to tell him the truth. He remembered that giggle from when she had lied about her suffering while releasing the seals on their first journey. The fact that he recalled such a specific detail about her made her smile.

"So…do you think you'll ever have children, Lloyd?"

"I dunno," he sighed, shrugged as he helped Colette up a steep hill and walked her to the door. "I'm still trying to win back everyone's trust after what Decus did. I think I'll have to finish that before I can even think about myself!"

He laughed at what he said, but Colette frowned. He noticed her visage and lifted a brow in inquisition.

"I know that you always put yourself last, Lloyd. Gaining back the trust of everyone is important, but don't forget about yourself! You deserve a lot of happiness after everything you've done…for the world, for our friends and…for me."

He blushed a little and felt his stomach flip. "C-Colette…?"

"Please promise me you won't forget about yourself and carry burdens on your own," she asked, taking his hand. "Please? Remember, Emil tried to do that. He wanted to sacrifice himself to guard the gate to the demonic realm. But now…look at him! We stopped him and now he's living happily after all this time! Please…I want the same fate for you. Don't sacrifice yourself to the wrongs that another committed. Promise me?"

She offered the man her pinky and asked him to swear on it. Lloyd, still red in the face, smiled shyly and agreed. He wrapped his pinky around hers and bobbed their fists. "Alright, I promise."

"Good!"

He chuckled at how happy those words had made her. He looked down at her with admiration as she reached out to knock on the door. Seconds later, he awoke from his daydream when Marta answered the door and screamed at the sight of them, rushing into their arms. "You guys found the house! Thank goodness! We were starting to get worried that something had happened."

It was easy to see by her appearance that Marta and Emil were building the house themselves. She was covered in dust and dirt, but she was smiling happily. Both adults noticed her tummy was still flat.

"Hey!" Lloyd cheered, laughing as she rammed against his chest. "Woah! Easy….I'm older than you, remember?"

"Not by that much," Marta sneered, playfully shoving him. "Come on inside, you two. We have a guest you guys may remember."

The two adults blinked and exchanged confused glances. A guest? Irving shrugged and followed Colette inside. Emil was at the kitchen counter fixing up some food and drinks while another girl sat at the table. She had deep, cocoa-colored hair and a slender figure dressed in a sunny yellow color. Her hair was pinned back in a high ponytail. Lloyd recognized her, but couldn't place the girl's name until Colette shouted it at the top of her lungs.

"C-Chocolat!"

He blinked. It couldn't have really been her after all this time. The last time he'd seen her was at Kvar's ranch. However, when she turned her head and smiled at them, there was little doubt in his mind that it was the same girl. "Is that really you?"

"In the flesh!" she cheered, standing up and tipping her head to them. The swordsman felt so humble for a moment that he was almost unable to move. It wasn't until Emil handed him a cup of coffee that he came back to his senses. "These two are my neighbors. I came over to offer them some food as a house warming gift and then I remembered they traveled with you! Before I knew it, we started talking. I've been here for almost two hours!"

"She's been great company," Emil said, asking them to both sit down. Lloyd wondered if she'd told Emil and Marta about Marble, or how they'd killed her after she'd transformed because of her exshpere. Did they know that was why he was banished from Iselia or even that he was banished in the first place? Hell, he wasn't even sure either of them knew that Mrs. Dorr had undergone the same process. Chocolat probably hadn't said a word. There was no point in bringing up that part of their past. It was all over, thankfully. She had forgiven Lloyd, but some deep part of the man's mind was still haunted by Marble's last words before she'd died. Emil offered them drinks upon entering the small cottage. Lloyd gripped the cup harder than usual when he took a sip. Emil noticed and cocked his head.

"Uh…Lloyd…would you like to take a walk with me?" Castagnier asked. "I was about to head up the street and buy some bread for dinner."

He nodded stupidly and followed the tan man outside. Once the door closed, Emil looked at his friend with a look of both curiosity and knowing. A small amount of panic flared in Lloyd's chest, but he kept his cool. He opened his mouth to say something but Emil smiled and cut him off with a swift shake of his head.

"I'm not going to ask," he said with a soft laugh. "She talked a lot about you guys, though. She said you were all so brave and kind to her during your journey."

The swordsman paused and tried to think of something to say.

"Really?" he asked, almost as if he was speechless. Emil laughed and nodded, walking down the path and along the row of brightly colored houses.

"Really. Don't sound so surprised, Lloyd! How could anyone still hate you after what you've done?"

The words meant something to him. Even though they weren't true, a small part of him believed Emil. His lips curved upwards in a small grin and he found the ability to finally speak normally again.

"Oh…that's great," he said with a sigh of relief. Maybe he was stressing about things too much, just like Colette said. He wished he could let go of things. Still, it…was hard. After everything he'd been through, letting go of everything and just enjoying the life he'd worked so hard for seemed far more difficult than any monster he'd ever fought or any cryptic obstacle he'd ever faced. "She's a great person, huh? I can believe that. I haven't seen her in a while."

"I remember coming to this town after I left Luin," Emil said slowly, staring up at the sky as he walked in an almost dreamy fashion. The memories flooded back as if the events had occurred the day before. "I remember talking to her. She defended you…and tried to convince me you were a good guy. I can't believe I was stupid enough to not believe her."

"You didn't know…"

"I still should have listened. Looking back, I feel like an awful fool. I can't imagine what your friends thought of m every time I talked about you so unfairly."

"Emil, c'mon…" Lloyd mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. "We're friends, right? Colette and I wanted to come and visit you to have some fun, not talk about what's over and done with. We deserve to have some fun, so let's just focus on that."

"Ha! You're right!"

Both men laughed as they went into the store and began to fetch food. Lloyd proposed that they throw a party to celebrate Emil and Marta's almost finished house. Castagnier sheepishly agreed and both walked out with armfuls of groceries.

"I'm going to have to explain how in the world I went to pick up one loaf of bread and ended up with a year's amount of sweets and snacks…" the blonde said as he glanced at Lloyd with an incriminating stare. The older man let out a roar of laughter and slung an arm over Emil's shoulder.

"Wow…you're already talking like a married man!"

"I guess…" Emil said with a flustered stammer. "But as long as I'm married, it's allowed, right?"

"Yeah!"

The both walked in the door to find the lights off. The curtains were drawn and there was no sign of the three girls that had been chatting so warmly when they'd left. Lloyd, lifting a brow, put the groceries down as Emil ventured inside the darkness to investigate. He heard Castagnier put his bags down and rustle around the small house. "Hey," he called from the darkness. "Can you flip on a switch? It's right next to the door. The power must have gone out."

The swordsman nodded and groped for the device. Finally, his wandering palm touched a knob on the wall. With a swift flick, the lights came on and the room had changed. There were streamers, balloons and lots of familiar faces in the room. Everyone from his journey was there, including Chocolat and another man who made his face light up with joy. Right next to Emil, Dirk stood looking up at him proudly.

"D-Dad!"

Lloyd ran to hug him but was stopped with a swift punch in the face.

"What kind of foolish man are you?" Dirk said, apparently angry at the man who was now holding a gloved hand against his throbbing cheek. "Not only have you not come home in a long while, but you're still as dense as you were when you were sixteen! I didn't teach a man to forget his own birthday!"

"Ow…" he groaned, the words finally clicking. "Huh? Birthday?"

Everyone waited for him to finish counting the days on his fingers before a light bulb went off in his brain. "Wow…I guess it is."

Marta giggled and started to set up the cake that Emil had been preparing earlier when they'd first arrived.

"You forget every year!" Genis cried with an exasperated grin. "You're hopeless!"

He was about to tell Genis to shut up when Colette walked before him with a small object clasped in her tiny hands. "Let this be a lesson for you to never forget about yourself again," Brunell said, stepping up to him and revealing her present. He took the object in his hands and gave her a hesitant look. With a nod, she told him to open it that instant. Everyone had chipped it to buy it for him. As he slowly peeled back the wrapping paper something shiny began to emerge. He grasped it tightly and realized that it was a pendant that looked similar to the one he'd given to Colette for her birthday present long ago, only it was smaller with four glittering gems. One was purple, another was red, the third was gold and the final was topaz.

"Each stone represents a member of your family," she said. "The purple is Kratos, your mother is the topaz, Dirk is the gold and the red stone is you! Now you're all together, no matter where you go. Nothing can break you guys up!"

He felt weak. He smiled broadly and gripped the gift in his hand tightly, unable to control his giddiness. "W-Wow…thanks, you guys…"

"You deserve it, bud," Zelos reassured him from across the table. "We also got twelve bottles of Palma Potion, so that the party can be just as fun as the present! Cake is good, but there's nothing better than a drink on your birthday! Trust me."

The swordsman was about to agree when a thought briefly crossed his mind. He looked over to Emil and offered him a shifty grin. "So wait…the reason you guys invited me out here was not to look at your house, but to throw the party?"

"Y-Yeah…" Emil admitted, turning red. "We wanted to finish building the house before the party, but Marta and I realized that we weren't the best builders…so we didn't finish."

"We thought that bringing you out here would be the perfect excuse," Marta chimed in, wrapping her arms around Emil's neck lovingly as she spoke to Lloyd. "Otherwise you would have caught on! We didn't want you to realize there was a party. A surprise party has to be a surprise, right?"

Genis scoffed and shook his head.

"Guys, this is Lloyd. He wouldn't have suspected a thing!"

Colette managed to stop Lloyd from hitting the half-elf on the head. Before long, the cake was served and everyone participated in joyful chatter about every matter under the sun. Chocolat even exchanged some words with Lloyd without any malice or hatred attached to them. He didn't know if his guilt was apparent of if she was slowly accepted what he'd done. Dirk also nagged his son about coming home more often because Noishe was so worried about him. The whole evening was filled with kind words and drunken cries of glee that came mostly from Zelos and Dirk.

It was all so dream-like that he was unable to believe anything was actually happening until night arrived and his lids were heavy with the need for sleep. Emil insisted they sleep in the house. While the living room was unfinished the guestroom and kitchen were fine. A few blankets and pillows later, most people were out like a light. Dirk and Chocolat left for home, declining the offer to sleep over.

Eventually, the only two people awake were Regal and Zelos, sleeping on piles of fleece throws and cozy pillows with the other men in the kitchen. Emil was also sleeping with them, as he thought it'd be rude for him and Marta to sleep in a bed while the rest of his friends slept on the floor. The girls were all sleeping in on the floor in the guest room. Careful not to make much noise, Zelos sat up and looked over at Regal.

"Hey…you awake, man?"

Regal grumbled in agreement. Zelos didn't appreciate the lackluster reply.

"Can you believe it's been so long since everything happened?" he asked as his eyes looked at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I remember meeting you in that forest when the Pope was after us."

"It all was so long ago," he agreed, also sitting up. "But…what brought this on all of a sudden? Is something on your mind?"

"I don't know…"

They heard footsteps in the distance and quickly dove under their covers to pretend being asleep. That did not fool Raine who was also restless and awake. "Don't try to trick me, boys," she said with a gentle smile as she moved to sit next to them. "I heard you both talking."

"Why are you up?" Regal asked curiously. She looked sleepy, after all.

"I…couldn't sleep. That's very strange for me. I haven't felt like this before."

Zelos quietly agreed and smiled at her. She did not return it and instead looked down at the small candle in her hand that she'd used to light her way from the guestroom to the kitchen. "I was just talking with Marta earlier. She said that she and Emil are trying for a child. While I'm very happy…it's so surreal. I can't help but think about Lloyd's happiness as well."

"Yes…he's worked so hard and suffered so much," Regal agreed, signaling softly the blonde man sleeping softly in the corner. "Emil said he'd talk with Lloyd about it. I know he's concerned about him as well."

"He hides his pain…but then again, I guess that's better than taking it out on others," the Tethe'allan Chosen argued. Raine figured that was just as dangerous. Zelos shrugged off her words and stayed positive as usual. "We'll be there for him no matter what. Simple as that. He's my bud and, rain or shine, I intend to always be there for him just like he was there for me."

Both adults looked at Zelos and studied his words internally. Perhaps the redhead was right for once. Happiness couldn't be forced, it had to be obtained. Lloyd had to find something that complimented him and his personality. He had to complete himself of his own free will. Not even they could assist him with that.

"We'll just…" Regal thought aloud, watching the man sleep with a small smile on his visage.

"Always be there…" Raine finished, hugging her knees close.

"That's all we can do," Zelos told his comrades with a smug grin. "Frankly, I think we do a pretty damn good job."

He pointed to Lloyd's sleeping form. Having ingested a little too much alcohol, he was snoring more loudly than normal and tossing and turning as if he was in the middle of a night terror. It was almost troublesome until he mumbled something in his sleep with a goofy grin on his face. Regal stifled a laugh and Raine sighed, crossing her arms and standing to return to her room. "I suppose you're right. After all, Lloyd may be the one who decides his fate, but that doesn't always mean he's good at it…"

"That what friends are for!" The Chosen replied.

Regal had to dive out of the way as the angry teacher threw her slipper at Zelos' face.

XOXOXOXOXO

Morning came and, one by one, each person left. Some stayed to clean up while others had to rush out on important business matters. Once the house was empty again, Emil and Marta went right back to working on their house. By midday, things were finally coming together.

"Hey, Emil?" Marta asked over her shoulder to her husband. He was coating a wall in a thick layer of polish and plaster. He wiped some sweat from his brow and responded with a curious hum, continuing with his work. They were so close to getting done that he didn't want to stop. That didn't set well with Marta. She threw one of her paintbrushes at the back of his head and saw him topple over from surprise.

"O-Ouch! What is it?"

She giggled and stepped closer to him.

"When you pulled Lloyd outside, did you do that on purpose?" Marta asked, a hand resting on her hip. "You said you wanted to talk to him. So…what did he say?"

Emil shrugged and went back to work, unable to give her an answer. "Well, not much happened. I know he listened though."

"Huh? How?"

"I think as soon as he saw that present and remembered what we'd talked about outside, he realized that just because people blame him for something doesn't mean he should carry the burden. His family and friends want him to be happy! Knowing Lloyd's personality, I think that really got to him."

Marta nodded and walked up to Emil, hugging him tightly. "He's a great guy…"

"He sure is," Emil said with a smile, kissing Marta's forehead tenderly. He looked down at his wife lovingly and brushed a strand of hair from her beautiful face. "So…that's all you wanted to ask me?"

"Well, not really," she mumbled, moving back a bit and feeling her face turn a little pink. There was something about the way that she spoke that made Castagnier think she had something big to say. "I was just curious because I know how worried everyone was. But…there's another thing I want to talk about only with _you_."

With him? Emil wondered what in the world she had on her mind. He put his tools down and gave her his full attention, mint eyes brimming with sincere interest. She giggled and reached out to grab both his hands. "I think…we should try again tonight."

The temperature of his body shot up a few degrees.

"Tonight?" he asked, reddening. The woman looked crushed by his shocked reaction. Just as she was about to turn away, he pulled her back and simply said that he'd been caught off guard. "Sure…but why tonight? I would have thought that all this work and the party would have made you tired!"

She shook her head and said it was something else. "You see…tonight is the night that, if we did decided to try…there would be the highest chance that it would work!"

Then he understood her.

Marta wanted to explain it in a way that even Emil would understand. While he was bolder, there was still an endearing shred of naivety in him that she had no desire to be rid of. Blushing brightly, she put her arms behind her back and swayed back and forth anxiously as she awaited his answer. It came less than a second later when he smiled and pulled her closer to kiss on the lips.

"That sounds great," he told her, making her jump with delight. "But…I've been working. I'm all sweaty and kinda gross, you know?"

"Don't worry!" she said, taking his arm and leading him towards the bathroom with a seductive wink. "I can clean you off in no time with a nice hot shower!"

They both laughed all the way to the back of their house. Despite how tired the work had made them, the laughter continued all the way into the night and didn't stop until the moon was high and the stars shone brightly over their new home together.

**-END-**

I'm leaving for six days, so I wanted to give you guys a little something before that happened. I'll be responding to emails, but I'm not writing anything…sorry!

But anyways, about the story! I took a different approach than what I planned and…maybe it worked well? Probably not. XD

Oh, and I had to include Chocolat. I played the first game back in elementary / middle school and I remember loving her as a character. I nearly cried when I saw her in ToS2!

Well, R&R if you can and I'll see you guys again in a week's time! Bai bai!


	19. Just rest for me

Title: After The Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta (small amount of Colloyd)

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of any part of the Tales franchise. Please only associate me with the fanfic itself.

Rating: T

Author's Note: I'm moving into my new place tomorrow. Ugh…so busy! Well, I'm back now, so it's time to start writing again! If this chapter is a few days late, I'm really sorry, but I'm busy packing…plus it's Shark Week. XD

Enjoy!

**-START-**

The fortune teller stared into her crystal ball deeply, her eyes seeking shapes within the cloudy haze. She hummed thoughtfully and mumbled what sounded like sacred runes under her breath. Emil stood next to her, his body clothed in a white hood to protect him from the heat and add to the exotic atmosphere of the desert tent. He'd had the same job for years and he'd never convinced the woman to let him wear more normal clothes. It was all about the appearance. Emil nodded helplessly, knowing he'd have to keep his job and a stable income. That was the most important thing.

After all, he and Marta finally had a baby on the way.

"W-What do you see?" the young man on the other side of the table asked. He had brown hair and green eyes with a scared expression. Emil thought the boy reminded him of when he was sixteen, so naïve and innocent. He held back a chuckle and tried to stay professional at the fortune teller's side. "Do you see anything?" he asked again. He was peculiarly insistent.

"You asked me…about a woman named Sara, correct?" the fortune teller asked with a soft smile.

"Y-Yes…" he stammered nervously. "I've loved her for so long…but I don't know if she feels the same way! Can you see anything?" he asked again, clearly anxious. Emil blinked and looked down at the glass orb. The woman's manicured figures danced along the smooth surface until they came to rest on either side.

"I see…"

"Y-Yes…?" the boy asked, leaning forward in anticipation.

"I see great fortune in your future. Please, take that ring in your pocket and give it to the young lady."

He appeared startled for a moment and self-consciously reached down to his hip. Castagnier's eyes widened. "D-Do you really have a ring?" Emil asked the customer in amazement.

His boss had actually been right.

The man nodded. "I do," he muttered, blushing. "So…do you think I should propose to Sara? Will she accept it?"

"I cannot tell you that," the mysterious woman chimed. "I can only tell you that she loves you. The colors of her heart are warm and inviting. She is most certainly in love. There is nothing more I can say."

"What about you, sir?" he asked, turning his head to Emil. The blond man jolted in surprise and looked down at the younger boy with a small shrug. He didn't feel like it was his place to say. "You're the fortune teller's assistant, right? What do you think I should do?" he asked again, clenching his fists tightly.

The woman nudged Emil and told him to say something in return. Reluctantly, he obeyed his boss' orders and tried to pull together a decent response. For a moment, he had no idea what to say. Another person's love life was hardly his business. Then again, as Emil looked down at the young man, he realized something. It wasn't just the boy's appearance that reminded Emil of his younger self. He could tell the boy in front of his was really seeking advice. It was easy to see he was desperately in love and confused. Emil chuckled lightly at how he'd been the exact same way when he'd first met Marta. After a while an answer came to mind. He said with a soft smile on his face, "Love isn't something you can decide on or plan. It just happens. When it happens, you'll know without hesitation. There's a difference between being scared and being anxious. Which one are you?"

The man paused to think. "I guess…anxious. I really want her to say yes."

"What if she says no?"

"Then…her happiness matters most to me. I love her."

"Sounds like you've made a decision," Castagnier joked as he patted the boy on the back. "You obviously planned to propose to her. I'll be the first one to tell you that girls don't like hesitation. Being cautious is good, but if you want something, you need to go for it! You don't want to lose her, right?"

The humorous ending made the boy loosen up enough to laugh a tad. He nodded firmly and stood, bowing from across the table. He handed the woman the money and smiled at them warmly. "Thank you both so much. I'm…going to do it! I love her, and that's why I want to marry her!"

He started out the tent with a huge amount of youthful energy.

"Be sure to tell us how it works out!" Emil called after him, laughing. He probably hadn't heard him. He peeked outside the folds of the tent to see that there was nobody else waiting in line. Finally the city of Triet had died down. "Well, that looks like the last customer for today."

"Indeed," she agreed, standing slowly and yawning, fanning herself from the heat. The desert city was always scorching, even during the night. Sometimes she missed the days that there was snow on the ground. "Today has been rather busy. I'm sure you'd like to get home to your wife."

"Y-Yes, I would," Emil said with a flustered stammer. She couldn't help but notice he seemed even peppier than usual.

"How far along is she, if you don't mind me asking…"

"She's two months along," he replied happily, clearing off the fortune teller's table and organizing all her odds and ends she'd used during the day. She watched him work with her glossed lips curved into a cheerful grin. The woman was incredibly happy for him. "Her belly's starting to get kind of big. I didn't think it would happen so fast! I was really surprised…"

She giggled at how innocent he was being. Emil sounded like an excited child that was bursting with energy. She thought the man would have been so excited that he'd skip work to be with his wife, but he never missed a day. He kept pulling in money to support his future family.

"You know…" she chimed, standing and exiting the tent. "When Marta has her baby, let me know. I want to give a week off. I'll pay you in full, so don't worry!"

His happy expression turned to one of pure shock.

"W-What? No way! I couldn't do that…" he said, becoming sheepish and looking down at the ground as he spoke. It was a bad habit he couldn't seem to shake. "Thank you for the offer, but that's too much. Even if I took the time off, you shouldn't have to pay me when I'm not working…"

"But you'll put that money to good use," she noted, poking his nose playfully. "Besides, you have not taken a sick day since you've worked for me! It's been years since I hired you! Emil, you deserve it. The baby won't come for a while, so just work extra hard until then."

Her words made him feel a little less guilty. He managed a nod before she waved him goodbye and vanished into the desert night, leaving Emil to close up the marquee. As usual, that's exactly what he did before he pulled his cloak firmly around his shoulders and headed home on his Rheaird. The man had thought it was impossible to smile more than he had been for the last two months. Leave it to his boss to prove him wrong. "Marta…" he muttered against the night sky, completely silent accept for the rumble of the mechanism below him. "I'm going to work hard. I want our baby to have the family neither of us ever had…so just rest."

That's what he'd say to her. She'd probably just giggle and kiss him, but he was serious. He chuckled at the thought and continued home in silence.

XOXOXOXOXO

Marta was meeting with all the other girls at her house. The building was finally finished and blended in seamlessly with the design of the town. Any traveler would have thought the building had been there for longer than a few months. They'd had their house-warming party and, other than the Wilder mansion, it was the perfect place for everyone to meet and talk. Normally the mood was peachy.

That night was different.

It was a mood of irritation, mainly on Marta's part. It wasn't mean or hurtful, but there was something a little different about her. She had expected being pregnant to be easier. The woman hadn't taken into account morning sickness, swelling and weight gain. She was still happy to be pregnant, but venting was needed on her part.

She didn't want to vent to her husband who spent all day working.

So, oddly enough, she chose Presea, Raine, Sheena and Colette. All were fairly even-tempered and understood her position.

"You're two months into your pregnancy, correct?" Raine asked in a scholarly manner as she sipped some tea at the couple's dining room table. "It's still quite early."

"That's the bad part!" she retorted with a sad mumble, twirling a piece of hair. "I really want the baby. I'm sure about that. But…being pregnant isn't that great."

That statement confused Colette. She stood up and walked over to Marta, handing the woman a fruit cake she had brought to lighten her mood. The angel figured Marta would need something to both cheer her up and satisfy her growing sweet tooth. "Why not? There's no greater blessing than having a baby growing inside of you."

"I know," Marta replied, sulking. "Still…it feels weird! The fact that something is inside me is a little odd."

"You're happy, aren't you?" Presea asked with a slight tilt of the head. The girl appeared to be making some hot coffee. The night before them appeared to be long. They'd need a buzz to get through it.

"Oh, of course!" Marta replied in a surprised tone. "I am! It's just…really, _really _weird having something inside of me. I wish I could just have the baby without having to be pregnant."

"That would be very convenient indeed," Raine responded lightly, a smile crossing her lips. "I'm very happy for you, Marta. I know you and Emil will make wonderful parents."

Marta tearfully looked at Raine and nodded. "R-Really? Thank you!" he yelled in an exuberant tone. Raine simply took another drink. The mage was a generous woman, but even Marta knew that receiving a genuine compliment from her without being laced with a trace of scholastic sarcasm was a nice treat. She took a little time to savor it before replying. Marta looked to everyone in the room and smiled thankfully. She had been so hard to put up with, but regardless, they were all right beside her. Marta didn't feel as if she deserved their attention. "Where are the boys?" the blue-eyed woman asked, suddenly realizing that not one of them had shown up. Normally Zelos was all about crashing parties. It was odd.

Sheena chuckled to herself and cast a coy glance to the other ladies in the room. Raine's eyes seemed to twinkle with knowing. "They're occupied at the moment."

"Occupied?" Colette and Marta asked at the same time. Presea giggled and went back to cooking as if nothing was wrong. The action caught Marta's attention. Standing, she asked in a confused voice, "Wait, so Colette and I are the only ones who don't know? That's not fair! Someone tell us!"

"Yeah, I want to know!"

"Please?"

The ninja shook her head. Colette gave everyone her best puppy dog eyes (which, sadly, were completely unintentional), but none of them gave in. Both women gave up and decided they'd figure out later on. It was getting late out and Emil still wasn't home. Marta figured he was probably working overtime. It made her feel both guilty and happy. He was such a good husband. Almost swept away by her daydreams, Marta hardly noticed when Presea brought her a warm mug of hot coffee. "So," the pink haired girl asked with another tilt of her head, "Have you chosen names?"

"Names?"

"You know, for your child. A girl's name and a boy's name."

She 'oh'ed in realization and sat her cup down, cheeks growing pink. "Well…we haven't decided on a girl's name yet. I think if it's a boy, we narrowed it down to Aster or…"

Everyone leaned forward. "Or what?"

"…Ratatosk?" Colette asked, an innocent smile on her face. Marta chuckled and said they'd considered it, but ultimately decided to make it a middle name instead. It was a little too bizarre to be a first name.

"Not Ratatosk, silly! We decided on the names Aster and Richter!"

"Aster could be a girl's name," Sheena said with a shrug. "Maybe you could do that. An aster is a type flower, right? It's a cute and romantic name."

"I don't know if he'd appreciate that," Marta said with another giggle. "I guess it could be unisex."

"How about Tenebrae?" Colette asked again, seeing that the Centurion of Darkness wasn't present. Even she knew he'd give her a good tongue-lashing in response to her theory. "I think it would be cute!"

"_Tenebrae Ratatosk Castagnier_…could you even imagine?" Marta muttered, trying to hold back a loud chortle. She failed miserably. All the other women shared her laughter. None of them noticed the front door swing open and Emil, still dressed in his cloak of muddied canvas, came through the door. Raine was the first one to notice him and greeted him with a nod. After that, every girl turned to him and warmly welcomed him home. Marta got up and went to kiss him, embracing him tightly.

He kissed her back but pulled away from the hug. "H-Hey, you shouldn't hug me so tight! I don't want to hurt the baby…"

"I'm only two months along! You won't crush our baby, Emil!"

He turned bright red. "Still…"

She smiled at him and cupped his cheek, wiping a smudge of dirt from under his eyes. Working in the desert was hard enough, but he was dirtier than usual since they found out she was pregnant. That proved that he wasn't just working later, but he was also working more strenuously. His boss probably loved that. The fortune teller was quite a nice lady, but Marta figured she would find a way to make Emil do her work. Lloyd and his group had told Marta about her shenanigans from their journey of World Regeneration. Raine described her as flighty. Genis thought she was capricious. Lloyd simply thought she was weird. Still, he seemed happy. That was what mattered.

"Was your day okay? You seem tired…"

Emil nodded and chuckled, knowing he must have looked exhausted and wilted. "Yeah, I'm okay," he told her. Then he remembered the young man who'd come in and asked about proposing to a girl he liked. Before she sat back down, Emil caught Marta's hand. "Wait…can I ask you one thing?"

"Huh? Of course you can!"

"Well…when you agreed to marry me, how did you know you wanted to?"

"How did I know?" Marta asked, blinking. Emil nodded. She rolled her eyes towards the ceiling and tilted her head down to rest against a slightly clenched fist. She hummed for a bit and then came to a conclusion. She said simply, "I just knew that's what I wanted. There was no doubt in my mind!"

He heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness…"

At least he knew he could give good advice. That was encouraging. He was about to become a father, after all. He'd be giving advice quite a lot in the future. It was good to get practice. He hoped that everything would work out for the man in the end.

Marta asked Emil why he'd asked her such an odd question. He didn't directly reply to her. Instead, he went off to take a quick shower. The poor woman squealed in offense and stuck her tongue at him as he went off to bathe. "Why is everyone hiding things from me today?"

Colette gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder and took her to the kitchen. Raine watched them go over her shoulder and took a long sip of her own drink. The other girls exchanged merry looks. Marta would find out at least one of the answers she wanted tomorrow. The boys were helping Lloyd get ready for a rather large event. They'd bring Mart and Emil along, obviously. It wasn't something they'd want to miss.

After all this time, Lloyd was going to propose to Colette.

XOXOXOXOXO

Emil got out of the shower with a towel loosely drawn about his taut waist and another over his hair. As he tousled it dry, he spied his wife reclining on the bed. He approached her curiously and saw she was looking out the window and over the ocean. It wasn't until he placed a hand on her shoulder that she turned and noticed him.

She also noticed he was wet and almost completely naked.

"Emil, I'm already pregnant!" she said with a cat-like grin, wrapping her arms around his chest and pulling him onto the bed. "It's so mean of you to tease me like that. You'll just have to wait, mister!"

The poor man was too busy trying to keep upright to understand her teasing. It wasn't until he was safely sitting next to her reclined body that her words set in. Minty eyes widened as he looked down and asked in a hushed tone, "I'll…I'll have to wait? Does that mean you want another?"

"Maybe…" she said, looking up at him from below. Her smile never faded. "Honestly, I don't like being pregnant that much. But I want to have lots of kids with you! Boys, girls, even twins!"

He couldn't help but laugh. Marta was always getting ahead of herself, but at that moment, he was even less bothered by it than usual. It was one of the many reasons he adored her. He leaned his tanned body over hers and captured her raspberry-colored lips in a kiss. "Remember our wedding? I did say I wanted you to be the mother of my children. I made it plural on purpose."

That was normally the point the Tenebrae would show up to make a snide remark. The Centurion had been gone most of the day visiting the underworld casually, checking on the gate. He was looking forward to coming home and teasing the couple about their romantic escapades. Sadly, he arrived right after that sentence that sealed Emil's fate for the rest of the night. Marta pulled him back on top of her and initiated another ferocious kiss. It was a good thing he heard the moans from the other side of their door before going inside.

"How rude of them," the spirit said, lowering his head. "They aren't even concerned about me!"

Missing the point entirely, Tenebrae decided to teleport off elsewhere to have his own fun. He didn't dare come back for the rest of the night.

**-END-**

Sorry this took so long! Oh…and I'm sorry for people who don't like Colloyd. Still, I had to tie up Lloyd's mini-story! He deserves it.

So, only a few chapters left. I'm adding more because I just decided on what I'd like the ending to be. It's going to be happy, don't worry! It won't be all smiles though.

I'll upload soon! See you all later! Bye bye!


	20. Hours of worry

Title: After The Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to any of the characters presented in this fanfiction. Please do not credit me with anything besides the fanfiction itself, and nothing more.

Three weeks into college! It's so hectic…I'm used to living in the city county, so this is an adjustment. In terms of education, it's crazier! But when I'm not in classes, clubs or my council meetings…it's really boring. Downtown is okay, but I miss my city, which has a much bigger downtown…;o;

Ramble, ramble. Please enjoy this belated chapter!

**-START-**

The bed creaked as a woman bolted out of bed, panting like a dog. She clutched her belly as her husband stirred beside her, so tired from a full day of work that he wasn't able to wake from his slumber. Marta cried out in a mixture of shock and pain.

A jolt from her lower back startled her awake from an already restless sleep. Her stomach had become incredibly large and, according to her doctor, she was only a few days due. Marta tried to convince herself it was just the baby kicking again. But this pain felt different. It wasn't just an ache. It was a searing burn. Then a small stain appeared on the bed sheets. With a whimper, she pulled back the covers and realized with wide eyes that she was in labor.

My water just broke, she realized in horror.

"E-Emil…" she gasped, seizing his shoulder and rocking him back and forth. "Please wake up! I need you!"

He didn't stir until she finally screamed his name and dug her fingernails into the skin of his arm. The blond awoke and, despite his sleepy condition, it only took him a second to realize was happening. His wife was finally going into labor. "Marta…are you…?"

"Yes!" she gasped frantically. "H-Help me, please!"

He jumped from bed and pulled on a loose tunic and pants with shoes. After he got himself dressed, he grabbed a slack fitting maternity dress that he'd bought her a few months ago. He pulled off her nightgown and replaced it with the garment. He said in the calmest tone he could muster: "There's a clinic on the other side of the city. We can't fly you there, so I'll have to carry you!"

He didn't even propose the idea of her walking. It wasn't fathomable. Marta appreciated it with all her heart, but was in too much pain to smile. "I…I'll start timing the contractions…"

"Good."

Emil helped her up from the bed and ran to the living room where two bodies lay sleeping on their couch. With a strident yell, they both awoke and went into action. The golden haired Chosen and the master swordsman of the United World ran to their side and began to help them. Since Marta had gotten so close to her due date, Lloyd and Colette had volunteered to stay with them. They had gotten married just a few days ago and, while looking for their own house, Emil had told them he'd appreciate some help until Marta's baby was born. They could board for free as long as someone could watch over Marta while he was away at work in Triet. Of course, they accepted happily.

Part of him was very happy they had yet to build their house together. He was starting to doubt if he'd be able to help Marta on his own.

"I-I'll grab some towels and some water!" Lloyd hollered over Marta's gasping and moaning. Colette went to Marta's side and asked the girl to squeeze her hand whenever a contraction came, hoping that would help channel her pain.

Marta obeyed and almost broke Colette's delicate hand. Of course, Brunell didn't let her see her pain.

Emil and Lloyd gathered supplies and set off. Emil carried Marta's writhing body as they dashed through the night. Irving had a rare stroke of genius and brought a lantern to light the way along the dark and winding streets. In the distance, a small building was dotted with small squares of yellow light. It was the clinic. As they drew closer, a man in an ornate coat leaned out of the doorway. When he saw Emil carrying the woman, he called for nurses and a chair to set her down in. Right as they entered the building, Marta was stolen from Emil's arms and deposited into a wheelchair. The hospital wasn't as fancy as one might find in Meltokio or Flanoir, but it would serve its sole purpose. "E-Emil…" she whimpered, looking as him as she was about to be taken away. "I'm scared…"

"I'm right here," he said with a smile, taking her trembling hand and kissing it. He intertwined their fingers and looked into her cerulean eyes. For a moment, he thought he looked teary. "I'm going to be here. If something goes wrong, Lloyd and I will break that door down to get to you."

"Me too!" the Chosen insisted with certainty.

"D-Don't go that far…" she said with a laugh. She would have responded further had another contraction not rocketed through her. "A-Ah! Emil!"

Castagnier looked to the doctor with a hopeful gaze. "May I accompany her to the delivery room?"

"I'm afraid not," the man said hastily, starting to take her away. They kept a firm hold on each other's hands. He didn't want to let her go. Feeling her warmth being ripped away ripped his heart asunder. "We need to get her set up as soon as possible. Please wait in the delivery room."

"What about her?" Lloyd asked, pointing to his wife who, as the moment, was red in the face with worry. "She could help with the birth! Please…send someone in."

"No."

"Please!" the blond woman cried, running forward and desperately clasping her hands in front of her heart. One hand was swollen beyond belief. "I'm the Chosen. Let me be there so I can bless the birth. Isn't that a good reason, doctor?"

The man didn't object to that. The woman before him was the Chosen and, if she wanted into the delivery room, they couldn't refuse her. They reluctantly agreed and made the two men wait as Marta was taken down a hall and into the catacombs of the white, sterile building. Emil wanted to run after her, but Lloyd held him back before he'd even taken a step. Perhaps he'd read his mind. "Marta!" he called after her, seeing her brown hair peeking over the seat of the wheelchair. "I'll be right here, okay? I promise!"

He heard her laugh at his remark. Seconds later, she was gone.

Both men slumped into chairs and started to wait. Lloyd was impatiently tapping his fingers and squirming while Emil sat limply, exhausted and slightly dead. Lloyd had been working a lot lately, but he knew Emil had been working extra hours to save up money for his new baby. Lloyd had gotten a job in Asgard as a watchman for the dais. Even after he had convinced the mayor it was incredibly unlikely anything would happen again, he had still asked Lloyd to protect the city. He didn't like the idea of taking money for a nonexistent cause, so he guarded the dais during the day and spent other hours doing errands and helping out the townspeople. Asgard was a town full of Sylvaranti people, so it felt more like home to him. There was no work for him in Iselia. It had saddened him, but after Colette had accepted his marriage proposal, he had to settle down and stop fighting.

Even Lloyd, who was usually stubborn about such things, agreed that it was time.

Irving had debated finding work as a blacksmith somewhere to utilize the skills Dirk had taught him. Perhaps he could open up a small shop in Asgard. Considering the amount of merchants that went through, there would be a considerable demand for accessories.

He was about to look over and tell Emil his amazing plan, but hesitated when he saw the worry on his visage. The waiting room was a good place to think about his future, but he didn't want to insult Emil by bringing up something so mundane. Marta was having a baby.

"Go ahead and tell me," Emil said suddenly, minty eyes sparkling. Lloyd blinked and saw the blonde turn his head slowly toward him. There was a tight smile greeting him. "You have an idea, don't you? I'd like to hear it."

Stunned, his breath caught and led him to speak in a raspy tone: "O-Oh…no…"

"Hey, don't keep secrets! Tell me."

There was a hint of playfulness in Emil voice. Maybe it's for the better if I keep him distracted, Lloyd thought suddenly. Putting the man at ease was normally an easy task, considering his laid-back nature. Now Lloyd wasn't so sure. Still, it was worth a shot!

"Alright…" he said, turning around in his seat and crossing his legs. Emil mimicked the action with a look of almost childish anticipation. It was futile to try and hold back a grin. "Let's get started."

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Lloyd concluded his lengthy story with the question: "Do you think that'll be a decent job? I want to support Colette, especially after the hard life she's had. I think working in Asgard would be great. Those villagers trust us so much. What…do you think?"

"Yeah, definitely," Emil spoke, head slumping sleepily. "I think you could do it."

"Really? You sound bored."

He shook his head of scruffy blond hair. "No. It's just been a long night. I'm…tired."

Lloyd combed a hand through his equally messy hair and remembered they hadn't eaten anything for a long while. "Yeah…same here."

Marta had been in the room for hours. Whether it was problems with dilation or the actual birth, neither had a clue. Colette hadn't come out to tell them anything. That must have met they were busy. Hopefully.

Occasionally a scream could be heard from down the hall. Again, Lloyd had to restrain Emil. When it faded to a whimper, he'd calm down.

The swordsman's muscular arms were starting to get strained. Emil, unfortunately, had become almost as robust as he was. As the night wore on, it was getting harder and harder to stay calm. What in the world could have been going on? Lloyd had never known a pregnant person personally, so he was unfamiliar with how long a birth was. It was safe to say Emil was in the same boat as him. Before long, he knew the blonde man would become squirmy.

Emil loved Marta so much, so he was probably worried sick.

There were many times when Lloyd was close to taking Emil back home and just letting him rest. Still, even after hours of waiting, Emil insisted they stayed put. It would be worth it, he had told the swordsman. Besides, after watching the gates of the Underworld close behind her, he vowed that he'd never leave her behind again. The pain would be too great.

Castagnier looked down at his hands. He'd been kneading them nervously for hours and, now, they were raw and slightly swollen. There was a purplish bruise above one of his thumbs. "What if something is wrong?" he asked Lloyd, voice starting to vacillate.

"Emil…you can't think like that! Colette is there, and the doctors here are great!"

"Yeah…but…"

"Have courage. Believe in Marta and Colette! We can depend on them…you know?"

He laughed softly, body easing. "Yeah…I suppose."

Footsteps echoed down the hall before them. Each man looked up, startled by the sudden appearance of a doctor before them. Emil tried to read the man's face, but could not. The stone-faced man seemed to be hiding something. Fright surged through him like lightening. Lloyd felt like all moisture suddenly evaporated from his mouth.

"I-Is…everything okay?"

Emil rose from his seat slowly, as if he was a lifeless puppet being pulled by strings. Lloyd kept a firm hold on him, just in case he lost the ability to balance himself. Irving gave the doctor a cold look over his shoulder. After years of travelling, the swordsman had developed a fantastic intuition that made up for his lack of educational intelligence. He knew something was wrong.

I don't like where this is going, Lloyd thought with a worried sneer. "What happened?"

"Well," the man began, gently pushing on his glasses. He glanced down at some paperwork in his hands. After what seemed like an eternity, the apathetic man finally spoke to the two men. "You are Mr. Emil Castagnier, correct? Tell me, did you visit a clinic while she was pregnant?"

"W-While she was pregnant?" Emil reiterated in a clueless manner. The suspense made it difficult for him to remember. "I…don't believe we did. At least not recently. We went twice early in the pregnancy, but after that, everything went so smoothly that we didn't think to…visit again."

Grumbling, the doctor appeared the check over the paperwork again.

"Ah," he moaned, nodding his head and rubbing his chin. Both mean leaned forward anxiously to hear the next words out of the doctor's mouth. "Then…I suppose you didn't know that your wife was pregnant with twins."

**-END- **

Wow. It's been a long time.

College is the ultimate evil for fanfiction writers. Please excuse the huge delay! However, I hoped you enjoyed this brief chapter and I'll see you all again soon. Ah, the end is very near now. _Veeeery_ near.


	21. It wasn't supposed to go so smoothly

Title: After The Sun Shined

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of any of the characters in this fanfiction. Please credit the Tales group and Namco.

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Rating: T

Author's Note: Sorry it's so late guys! Midterms really suck…but I've gotten all A's and B's so far and, as soon as these are over, that mans I can crank out more stories! Woo-hoo!

**-START-**

_Dear journal,_

_ It's Marta again! I was just reading over some of our old entries from long ago. Emil and I started sharing this book so long ago…it's so funny to think about those days when we first met. Back then, we were incredibly close. It astonishes me that we were able to get any closer. _

_It's been a while, but so much has happened. It would take me years to explain it all. I gave birth to twins yesterday. We couldn't take them home because the birth took place sooner than expected, so they wanted to monitor the babies. I wasn't really listening to the doctor. I was crying and sobbing the whole time, just like a little kid! I was happy._

_I don't know if Emil cried or not. When I opened my eyes he was sitting beside me, clutching my hand. It was at that point that he thanked me and held me so tightly. It hurt a little, but I didn't care. Next, he asked me about names. I told him I wasn't sure, but that I thought Aster was a good name for the boy. The girl's name we're still thinking about. We have lots of ideas, though, so we'll have to think about it. Tomorrow we'll go in and see them again! They're cute and fat and round! They both have blond hair and blue eyes. It was surreal to stare at them and see myself in their faces. I think I cried even more after that._

_I can't write too much, but I hope I'll be able to continue this diary again! I'm so happy that I can hardly keep my hand from shaking as I write. _

_Marta_

One boy and one girl.

Everyone seemed so elated. Even the doctor, who had no attachment to the couple, seemed to be smiling more than usual. Emil and Marta didn't notice, but it gave Lloyd a bad feeling. It was a notion he couldn't shake. Had the doctor been expecting something to go wrong?

He turned to his fiancée and asked her. Both of them were waiting for Emil and Marta in the lobby of the office. The two couples had decided to meet and see the children together. All the others were supposed to arrive as well, especially Zelos. He was incredibly interested in how advanced technology had found its way into a Slyvaranti establishment.

"That's odd," Lloyd muttered under his breath. He hadn't meant to talk aloud.

"Huh? What is?" Colette asked, blinking her large eyes.

"I was just thinking about the technology here. How in the world can they have access to the equipment needed for birthing children? Everyone in Iselia always had their babies at home in a bed, from what I heard."

That sentence hit Colette oddly hard. For a moment, she appeared startled. The blond angel looked at the ground. Irving noticed and cocked his head at her reaction. He didn't think he'd said anything to set the always cheerful Colette off.

"H-Hey," Lloyd asked, nudging her small shoulder. "W-What did I say? Something bad?"

"N-No…I'm fine. But I'm worried. You reminded me of something I'd been thinking about before we came here."

"Worried? About what? Emil and Marta's babies? The doctor said everything went well! There wasn't a single hitch. You told me both were healthy and that Marta did great."

She nodded, remembering her words after Marta was released from the hospital. The twins had been fine. Marta had fallen asleep and was taken to another room. All the while, Colette had stayed back to give her privacy. On her way out, she'd overheard the doctor talking with one of the nurses. "I…just remembered what he said to a nurse. I don't think they wanted me to hear, but I listened because he was acting so strangely."

"Strangely?"

Lloyd didn't like where this was going.

"Yes," she told him, eyes still downcast. Both her hands rested on top of her fiancée's lap. "He was talking about how early Marta was. She's so thin and frail, after all. That fact combined with her early labor, and she was having twins…"

His eyes widened. She was right. However, it wasn't Marta that concerned the swordsman. "Are you saying that…there might be a chance that…"

"He thought so," Colette said. "He didn't expect both babies to be alive, I suppose. When everything went smoothly, I don't know..."

"That would explain why he was so icy when he talked with us."

"Exactly."

They sat in silence, staring at each other for a long while. Lloyd was the first to turn away and grimace, anger rising in his gut. Colette was right. Combining all factors of Marta's pregnancy and the doctor's expectation that something would go wrong made him feel enraged. It seemed incredibly unfair. Colette noticed that her future husband was angry and tried to comfort him by taking his hand and placing a gentle kiss his palm. The action awoke him from his daydream and made him cast his eyes to her curiously.

"It'll be okay," she told him with a smile. "It's over now. Both babies are born and alive. The doctor said they're in good health and, as soon as Emil and Marta get here, we'll be able to see it for ourselves."

Irving nodded slowly and commenced to lean in and kiss her when an idea crashed through his mind. "Wait. If Emil is technically Summon Spirit, and Marta is just a human…what does that make their children?"

One could have heard a pin drop between the two adults.

Colette struggled to answer, but managed a cheap smile. She even giggled, which gave Lloyd an instant alert that she was lying. "It'll be okay. It has to!"

"I hope you're right, Colette."

For some reason, her words didn't comfort him. They seemed empty and lacked promise. His stubborn mind wouldn't let him forget those words and the idea that had been implanted. Even when Marta and Emil approached them cheerfully with smiles on their tired faces, the notion refused to fade.

Lloyd hoped the Emil's family wouldn't be broken apart like his was.

XOXOXOXOXO

"So, the boy will be named Aster and the girl will be named Thea?" the doctor confirmed, scribbling the names onto a thick packet of paper. The couple nodded happily and confirmed the names of their two twins. Colette and Lloyd watched from afar, the angel smiling merrily and the swordsman cocking his head in worry and a slight amount of befuddlement. He tapped his fiancée on the shoulder and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Hey, Colette, where did the name Thea come from?"

"It's a popular girl's name up north," she said with a grin. "It kind of sounds like Tenebrae's name, doesn't it?"

"Huh? Oh…I guess it does! That's actually kind of cute. Tenebrae must feel honored."

Said cloud of black smoke suddenly swirled above Lloyd's head of spiky brown hair and leaned down to run his cold nose against the back of his neck. "Although _honored_ is a fine word, I would much prefer you use the term_ delighted_. I'm not a completely heartless creature, you know."

The man stumbled forward and yelped comically, tumbling to the ground. Invisible to everyone else, Tenebrae swiftly leaped through the air and sat on the doorway, watching as a crowd of confused onlookers stared at Lloyd. Emil gave the Centurion a discouraging stare as Marta was led into the nursery by a nurse. They would bring out the babies while Emil waited with Lloyd and Colette for the others to show up.

"Sorry, Lloyd," Castagnier said, offering the older man a hand to help him stand up. "Tenebrae, you shouldn't play pranks on people like that in public!"

"Yeah," Lloyd returned, making sure all the onlookers had left before he continued to talk with the translucent canine. "Screaming and falling over randomly in public isn't going to help me recover my reputation anytime soon."

"Oh please," the smooth-talking creature replied. "You talk as if my pranks can even compare to the disaster in Flanoir or in Palmacoasta. My little pranks are nothing compared the Decus' antics."

"But nobody else knows that," Irving continued to explain, sighed deeply in defeat when Tenebrae offered his only a chuckle in return. It was truly impossible to fight against the Centurion. "Okay, fine. I give up. You're ruthless, you know that?"

"He's not ruthless," Colette said, brushing some dust from Lloyd's shoulder. "Tenebrae is…simply misunderstood."

"That doesn't even mean the same thing!"

"But that's what Professor Sage told me!" Colette replied with a lifted brown. "She says Tenebrae may seem a little snarky at times, but that's that just makes him more majestic. We're simply unable to understand how amazing Centurions like him are!"

"Of course she said that…" Lloyd exhaled in exasperation.

Emil listened to the three of them talk until the sound of footsteps came down the hallway. He turned to see a crowd of familiar faces coming down the stark hallway. All the faces were alight with smiles of different kinds. Some were overjoyed. Some were gleeful. One appeared to be hiding something. As Genis and Presea came forward to look at the babies through the nursery's window, Raine and Sheena went to Tenebrae and Colette. Regal sauntered over to Lloyd and asked him about the unusual red bump on the back of his head.

The final member of the group, Zelos, casually walked towards Emil. Before the young man even had a chance to greet the redheaded Chosen, Zelos reached out and ruffled his blond hair until it was a scruffy mess. "Hey there, Bud #2! I heard your kids were finally born!"

"Y-Yes," he responded with a gasp, trying to comb his hair down as Zelos cackled at how silly the man looked. "Just yesterday. I almost came by myself, but Marta said she was strong enough and wanted to come with me to see them."

Blue eyes sparked with sudden interest. "Oh, then Marta is here after all. Where is she?"

"She's with the nurse," he responded slowly, mint eyes looking through the window to see the two women huddle over two small, adjacent cradles. Zelos followed his gaze and bit his bottom lip. It was easy to see that the Chosen clearly had something unpleasant on his mind. Emil curiously looked back and forth until he realized what emotion was on Zelos' face. It was a mixture of confusion and fear. It was an emotional mixture that Emil was all too familiar with after his inconsistent past. "Hey, Zelos? Is something wrong?"

"Hm…? What do you mean?"

"It's nothing specific. You just seem a little…fidgety, is all. Are you worried about something?"

Zelos shrugged and turned around, scanning the Sylvaranti establishment. While the building appeared crisp and white, there wasn't much in the way of technology. The hospitals in Tethe'alla were far more advanced and, while not only being incredibly clean, were also incredibly successful in terms of births and surgeries. Even Zelos, who was growing fonder of Sylvarant day by day, had to admit that the lesser world possessed more in the way of quaint charm over technology and scientific progression. "Not really. I was just taking a look around this place."

The excuse was fine, but Emil didn't believe him. The tone he used was uncommonly associated with the genial Chosen. It was analytical and laced with a thin layer of worry. The man wanted to push the issue, but before the words could come out, the doors opened and Marta was holding both of their children, smiling so widely that her cheeks were red. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

At that moment, all questions melted away and were forgotten.

**-END-**

Next chapter will be up super soon! Sorry for keeping you all waiting, but I want to know I appreciate you guys and your support.

Stay awesome.

Oh, and Emil is a popular name in Norway. Thea is a popular girl's name that just happened to sound like Tenebrae's name, so I went with it. It reminds me a little of Tea from Yu-Gi-Oh.

Ah, memories and nostalgia.


	22. Truth hurts

**-START-**

The Centurion of Darkness slowly slithered into the Ginnungagapp, body rippling through the magically-charged air. The world was quiet and tranquil much to Tenebrae's relief. Since everything had returned to normal, even his trips to Niffelheim's gate were peaceful. Even from a distance, he could see the gat to the demonic realm was tightly shut. There were also two very clear silhouettes standing against the orange glow of the entryway. One belonged to his lord, Ratatosk, and his new eternal servant, Richter.

"Tenebrae…" Ratatosk mouthed out, still taking form in the body of Aster. His red eyes flashed as the Centurion landed obediently before his master, head bowed. "What brings you here so suddenly? I have not sent for you, and the gate is fine condition."

"I know," the spirit said, lifting his head and staring at the couple with an even gaze. It caught the Summon Spirit off guard. There was something frank about Tenebrae's gaze that made him feel uneasy. "I've come to deliver news of Lord Emil and Lady Marta. I trust you would care to hear?"

"Emil and Marta?" Richter repeated, astonished. The last time he'd seen them had been at their wedding when Sheena had summoned them. The whole ceremony felt as if it had occurred an eternity ago. Ever since then, they'd heard no news. Not until Tenebrae meandered in. "Is something wrong?"

"Hm? Lord Ratatosk, why would you assume that?"

"You've never brought news before without my command," he elaborated simply. "Tenebrae, has something happened?"

"Nothing bad, my lord," the Centurion said. His red eyes closed and he folded his long tail over his paws. The frank stare in his eyes softened for a moment. "It's simply rather interesting. Lady Marta has had children."

Both jaws fell open. Richter seemed to take the news with a more surprised face while his companion appeared somewhat horrified. "C-Children? Well…I suppose I saw it coming. I feel like they were just married, but that doesn't matter in matters of fornication I suppose. Humans are quite odd."

Richter noticed the tone of Ratatosk's voice changed mid-sentence. It went from being shocked to sounding almost thoughtful. He was about to inquire about the idea when he looked to the Centurion. Tenebrae also noticed the change in Ratatosk's voice, but didn't appear surprised by it. It was almost as if he expected it to happen. Head lowered, Tenebrae walked forward slowly until he was sitting mere inches away from his master. "That's why I'm here. As you know, Lord Emil is a summon spirit…and Lady Marta is a mortal. It's not possible for a being to be a half-breed, one half mortal and the other half divine. Lady Marta gave birth to twins. So, am I correct in assuming at least one of those children isn't exactly normal?"

Richter inhaled sharply. "One of their children might be a summon spirit just like Emil. Is that what you're saying?"

"Precisely."

That's why he came, Ratatosk thought nervously, crossing his arms and sighing.

Tenebrae cocked his head to the side and looked up at the crestfallen spirit. "Or, am I mistaken?"

"You're not," he responded bluntly, turning to his side and pacing to the left of the gate. "At least…not about that."

"About what?" Abend inquired, his question only met with more pacing on his master's part.

He was stroking the line of his jaw in thought, brows knit together. Tenebrae could tell his thoughts were a vicious stream. "Of course. I should have known this would eventually happen. Of course, nothing like this has ever occurred before, so I pushed the idea aside. I was a fool for thinking such a thing."

Both watched as their master took more thoughtful steps, clearly trying to either sort out an answer or find out a polite way to phrase his response. The latter was infinitely more frightening for both. It was also the more probable. Chances were Ratatosk knew the consequences exactly. Tenebrae had waltzed in with such a positive disposition. Some might have even referred to it as hopeful. Richter could see that it was quickly being dashed by Ratatosk's actions.

After what seemed to be eternity, Ratatosk finally turned back to them. His face was a sketch of serious lines. Even his mouth was drawn into a tight frown across his visage that made him look even more bitter than usual.

"There's only one possible outcome for this," Ratatosk said somberly. Richter paled. Tenebrae's expression didn't change, at least from what one could see superficially. He continued icily, "However, you must not tell either of them. They'll find out when the time comes. Any sooner and they'll feel nothing but despair. I know they will."

"D-Despair?" Richter stammered, looking between the two. "You can't mean that…that…"

Richter never finished his sentence.

"Tenebrae," Ratatosk repeated firmly, "Do you swear you won't tell them? You must promise me before I say anymore. Promise me."

His red eyes smoldered like two embers threatening to suddenly combust into raging infernos. Any ignorant human would have shrunk back in fear, swearing the being before them was a malevolent demon.

Tenebrae appeared reluctant. Of course, it was impossible to really tell. Perhaps he was already aware of the grim answer that awaited confirmation.

"I swear, Lord Ratatosk."

**-END-**


	23. I never had the chance to say goodbye

Title: After The Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: ToS2 is not mine and I claim no ownership of its characters or plot. I only own the fanfiction itself.

Rating: T

Author's Note: Break is coming up soon. That's excellent. Expect a Holiday Special with lots of fluffiness and sweetness.

Enjoy the story!

**-START-**

Days passed. Months passed. Years passed.

The world was as such peace the Lloyd could have sworn it was a dream. It was a dream that could be easily ruined by the bustle of a crowd outside his bedroom window or the howling off a wolf in the woods. It was a fragile as a piece of brittle tissue or a cloud of smoke.

To his glee, he never woke up from the dream. It had been five years since Emil and Marta's twins had been born and, despite concerns about Marta's weak disposition, both children appeared to be fine. Thea was energetic and peppy. Aster was shy and timid around all people. The doctor from back then had set a foreboding tone over the children, yet it seemed to have vanished. Emil and Marta never even knew of it in the first place.

It was odd, but Lloyd wasn't complaining. Part of it was just returning to his idealist ideas from when he was sixteen and on the journey of World Regeneration. But his main reason for not complaining was because he wasn't a fan of spoiling happiness. He never had been, ever since he was a boy.

Especially when his own child was so close to being born. Lloyd had never felt so much happiness in his life. The weight of a decade-long ordeal was off his shoulders. It was time for a much needed rest.

"Compared what I've been through already," he told Colette days earlier as he rubbed her large bump, "A baby is a lot of responsibility, but it's not scary. Nothing so small and cute could be scary."

Through tears, Colette had agreed.

Everything was so right with the world. Zelos was finally beck in control back in Meltokio, his reputation unscarred and all the women fawning over him. He still flirted with them, of course. Some things simply never changed.

Sheena was training future ninjas in Mizuho, creating a village of warriors even more powerful than before. Raine went back to teaching in Iselia, and Genis was now studying at an even quicker pace so he could eventually be her full assistant. Regal and Presea stayed close, bonding over bittersweet memories of Alicia and her innocent smile. Regal was still the president of the Lezareno Company but, as he began to age more, work was more capable of stressing him out. Thankfully Presea was able to help in between trips to Alicia's grave and visiting Genis for unsaid reasons. George was also grateful for her assistance in his advanced years.

What in the world could possibly happen to ruin all this? It was something Lloyd asked himself while lying in bed at night with his angelic wife by his side. "Please," he would always pray, fingers tightening into fists, "Please don't let anything else happen to the people in this world."

While Lloyd was an idealist, he was no fool. Something could come along at any moment and shatter their dream as easily as a glass vase. All he could do was promise himself he'd be prepared for anything.

Even if he knew that wasn't true.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Mommy! Thea keeps trying to get me to play in the ocean with her! She knows I hate swimming in the water! The waves are so scary…"

"Don't be such a wimp! The waves are the most fun part of playing in the ocean! C'mon…I'll protect you!"

"But I don't wanna!"

Marta looked outside the window of their house in Palmacoasta to see their children running across the cobblestone streets in front of their house. Thea was chasing her brother across the road, clothes dusty and damp from playing outside all day. Thea loved playing the water, but Aster wasn't fond of doing anything that could have fatal consequences. It was the middle of summer, and the ocean was so clear and bright that Marta was tempted to go for a dip herself. Perhaps as soon as Emil got back from his job in Triet they could take a family trip down to the beach. It would be a waste not to go outside, considering the fine weather.

Thea gained up on Aster and took his hand, trying to lead him down the road and into the ocean. Marta decided it was finally time to step in and help her son out. The poor boy was so timid that Marta tried to ease him into defending himself, but his fright was so clear that he couldn't stand on the sideline any longer. "Thea, don't pull on your brother like that! We'll go to the beach all together later!" she holled from the house.

She stopped, but didn't let go of her brother's sleeve.

Marta had opened the front door of their small house and walked across the pastel road to meet them. She was wearing a pretty lace dress, her long brown hair swaying over her tiny hips. Both flower barrettes rested on either side of her head, just like they had since she met her husband for the first time.

"But mommy," Thea protested, blue eyes wide with sadness. "Aster never wants to play anything with me! He's afraid of everything."

The little boy rubbed his hands together nervously and stared at the ground. Marta looked between the two bickering children and chuckled to herself. It was clear which parent each of them took after. Smiling, Marta ruffled their hair playfully, laughing loudly at the faces they made. "Thea, being afraid of some things doesn't make your brother a wimp! Now, how about we forget about all this and go inside to have a nice snack! Your daddy will be home any second now, and then we'll play until we can't stand anymore! How does that sound?"

Her voice had barely changed from when she was sixteen. It was light, airy and had the ability to cheer anyone up. The twins were no exception. "Now, follow your mommy inside, okay?"

The answer seemed to satisfy both siblings.

Each child gave Marta their hand and the three of them walked inside. Thea went to change her out of her soiled clothes while Marta went to the sink and helped Aster wash his hands, considering he wasn't tall enough to fully reach up to the counter.

As she put her son back on the ground, the front door opened.

Both Aster and Marta recognized the hooded figure cloaked. They were cloaked in canvas robes with a scarf over their mouth. Each crevice dripped with dust and strands of blood hair peeked out from under the hood. A tanned hand clenched the cloth and, in one swift motion, pulled it off of his body. After quickly folding the robes over his arm, he turned his minty gaze towards the two figures in the kitchen and smiled.

"Daddy!" Aster cried happily, running to him and dancing around Emil's legs. The young man took the boy in his arms and kissed his forehead. "Daddy, do you want to go to the beach today? Mommy said we could because the weather is so nice. Can we?"

The man pretended to give it some thought before agreeing. "Well, if mom said so, I think that sounds like a great idea! How about you and your sister start getting ready?"

The boy's eyes widened and he nodded, running off energetically to tell his sister the good news. Emil watched him go with a wide grin. Marta, on the other hand, had a frown on her face. When he asked her what was wrong, she gave him a tiny grin and stepped forward so that she was close enough to embrace him. "I'm sorry. You must be really tired after work. I'm sure you would just like to stay at home and relax the rest of the day…but…"

"I can't think of any better way to relax," he told her truthfully, wrapping his arms around her tat waist and placing a kiss on her temple. "Oh, but before I forget, I have something else to tell you. I ran into Sheena in Triet today while she was out with her students getting supplies. Colette's baby is going to be coming soon!"

The woman gasped and smiled widely, obviously elated. "Really? Wow…it seems like just yesterday she and Lloyd were married…"

"I know, right?" he added with a soft chuckle, finally managing to fold the long, ragged cloak completely and into an orderly square. Marta graciously took the lump of dirtied cloth out of his arms and put it aside to wash later. "Time's passed by so quickly. It seems like just yesterday Aster and Thea were little babies. They were just learning how to walk and talk."

It was true. Marta felt like time had passed so hastily. Part of her was aching and hoping they didn't grow up too fast. Although they probably would, even if she could manage to slow time to a snail's pace. "We'll have to go see her as soon as possible. I want to help Colette just like she helped me!"

"I'm sure she'd appreciate it," Emil agreed softly, pulling his wife into a loving embrace. "We should be there for them…just like they were always there for us…not just when you were pregnant, but for years before."

"Yes…I agree."

Marta hugged him back and tilted her head back to receive a soft kiss. He brushed his lips against hers briefly, hands keeping a tender grip on her body and they pressed against each other. He pulled away just before she had the chance to kiss back, innocently teasing her. Marta pouted and put a hand to his chest, rising upwards to kiss him again. It was a sweet kiss, but it contained a promise for later, when the kids were asleep and they were alone. Emil kept her in his arms and placed small, gentle kisses on her collar and chest, the feel of his lips even penetrating the flimsy fabric of her dress. "You seem more anxious than usual…" she remarked with a flirtatious grin. "Not that I mind, of course."

They both parted ways before the children came back in and saw them together. There would be far too much explaining. Emil stayed in the kitchen while Marta went to throw his muddied cloak into a tub of ocean water on the cliff in the back. He could hear tiny footsteps getting closer and closer then, suddenly, they stopped. Emil cocked his head in the direction of the doorway and heard the children whispering to each other. "Daddy?" Aster called from across room, "Are you there? There's something wrong with Thea…"

"Huh?" Emil asked, watching Aster help his sister stagger into the kitchen. Her body was slightly slumped over and her eyes were downcast. The peppiness usually present on her face was gone and replaced by exhaustion. Eyes cloudy and skin white, the little girl toppled to her knees.

"Thea?" he asked slowly, unsure of what was happening. When the fact that she had passed out hit him, he bolted to his daughter's side and scooped the tiny girl into his slender arms. Aster followed, watching his sister's face over his father's trembling shoulder. Emil shook her gently, trying to revive her. The girl's breath was shallow and her tiny body as cold as a mound of snow. "Thea…Thea, stay awake? What happened?"

His voice was laced with alarm. It made Aster fearful, and within in second, pearl-sized tears were running down his face. "Daddy…she was in our bedroom when…when she suddenly told me it was really cold. When I went to open the window, she had…walked into the hallway…"

The words were almost incoherent because of his horrible sobbing. Thankfully he managed to get the gist of his son's story. Apparently she had meandered into the hallway after complaining of being cold. It was unfamiliar behavior to him. Such acts had to indicate sickness…it wasn't possibly anything else. Emil placed the back of his hand against her cheek and compared it to the temperature of his own forehead. Scalding heat greeted hand.

The man was ready to call for Marta when she burst into the kitchen, hearing Emil's initial cries of their daughter's name. "Emil, what's wrong?"

"Thea collapsed," he barely managed. "I'm going to take her to the doctor's office, okay? Can you follow with Aster?"

The boy was now crying out of fear for his sister. Marta went to his side and began shushing him, cooing soft words to make him feel better. The woman gave Emil a nod and he dashed out the door with a second to waste. "Please be careful, Emil!"

"I will!"

Upon stepping outside, it was clear just how high the sun was in the sky. Thea cringed as the harsh light touched her delicate eyelids. Emil crushed the little girl against his chest as much as he could to prevent the sun's rays from touching her. Thankfully the office was only a few blocks away. He sprinted the entire way down there and arrived in less than ten minutes.

From atop the building, a black cloud suddenly materialized. Sitting like a magestic gargoyle, Tenebrae watched as Emil dashed through the doors and into the lobby with a pained expression on his visage. His red eyes were sharp with knowing. So, what Ratatosk had told him was true after all.

_ The flames of the Underworld grew increasing hot, bathing them all in a red glow. A crimson color flared around them. It was succulent as freshly spilled blood. _

"_If Marta's had twins like you say…then perhaps it was fate's way of being merciful on him," Ratatosk elaborated to the stoic Centurion and a slightly horrified Richter. _

"_What do you mean by that?" Richter asked curiously. Tenebrae closed his eyes slowly. The redhead was becoming increasingly impatient. He wanted to know what was happening. After all, Emil had never been his enemy. And even if he had a different personality, his face still belonged to Aster. The Aster he'd loved so dearly when they had been partners studying Ratatosk in a lab. "Will…Emil's children die…?"_

"_Richter…" Ratatosk said slowly, gazing at him flatly. His eyes seemed to be soulless. "Your fate is to forever stay by my side. Once Emil's human form dies, he will join us here. However, you chose this fate, correct?"_

"_I…I did."_

The doctor stole the smaller girl from Emil's arms and rushed her into a back room. The blond man followed, despite pleas from the nurses to stay back. Eventually, he obeyed and was ushered back into the lobby. Marta was there waiting, Aster in her arms. He stared at her helplessly and shrugged. What could he say?

_"You chose this fate here to guard the gate with me," Ratatosk repeated, staring down at his clenched palm. "You made the conscious decision to give up the rest of your mortal life and come to this wretched place. One of Emil's children will not have that choice."_

"_What?" Abend inquired, looking to Tenebrae. "A-Are you saying she'll come here after she dies and spend all eternity with us?"_

"_Not exactly," Tenebrae clarified harshly. _

"Do they know what's wrong with her?" Marta asked the nurse at the front desk. When the woman shook her head negatively, Marta got enraged. She slammed her hand on the counter and began to yell furiously, "Well, why aren't you back there assisting them? You're simply sitting here filling out her paperwork! I can do that myself…please just help her! Do your _damn_ job! Help her!"

Emil suddenly flashed back to when Marta first gave birth. The mood was just as tense as it was then. However, there was one element that was missing from the hospital that made the scene quite different from last time. Zelos. The redheaded Chosen had been looking around the hospital quite suspiciously, especially when he found out Marta was pregnant with twins. He had seemed concerned. Was it possible he had been debating the technology in a Sylvaranti hospital? Did he think…Marta wouldn't have made it? And now…

_ "Lady Marta's weak disposition has nothing to do with it, although that's probably what the doctors will jump to first. Well, that along with the poor amount of equipment in the hospital." Ratatosk's voice was almost unreadable. "What a happy coincidence."_

_Richter was still shell-shocked. "You can't mean…"_

"_I mean exactly that."_

"Please don't yell, Mrs. Castagnier!" the nurse pleaded, jumping from her seat and dashing into the back offices. Marta, still fuming, was about to give chase until Emil pulled her against his chest. One of his arms supported their quibbling son, while his other arm was wrapped tightly about her waist. Eventually, Marta's anger transformed into worry, then into sadness. Finally, the tears came.

"T-Thea…Thea…" she whimpered, pushing her face against Emil's chest. "Thea! **THEA!**"

_ "One of Emil's children will perish," Tenebrae explained. "They will spend an eternity guarding the door. They will share the same fate as their father. However, the child will only live five years. Before their sixth year, they will perish…and their soul will come here, having never lived their full human life."_

"Doctor! She's stopped breathing. The defibrillator isn't working anymore…her heart rate isn't coming back and her breathing has stopped! What should we do?"

"Keep working!" he snapped, the equipment buzzing and crackling. They tried everything to keep the small girl alive, but nothing seemed to work. Morphine, oxygen tubes and electric shock did nothing. It seemed as if her heart had just stopped beating. The girl was completely healthy. She hadn't gone into cardiac arrest, didn't have any infections, no internal bleeding…it was as if her soul had simply evaporated from her body. Her whole existence had been snatched away.

"Just…just keep working!" the doctor exclaimed passionately, drops of sweat appearing on his forehead as he prepared more syringes and activated even more primitive machines. There was a determined madness to his tone. The man always knew something was going to go wrong, ever since they day Marta first walked it. There was no way it could be perfect. Not when she was so thin and frail. Not when their technology paled to that of Tethe'alla's. He didn't want to believe it, but perhaps the child has always been doomed. "There must…there must be a way to save her! Just don't give up…keep working!"

Tenebrae remained outside, nose pointed towards the air. From within, he could hear the muffled screams of frantic doctors and nurses. "Mortals are so interesting. They will always search for ways to prevent the inevitable."

Still they searched tirelessly for a way. They all tried everything. The doctor was starting to waver, even with assistance from all the staff members in the building. "T-There…has to be…a way…to save her. There must be!"

There wasn't. She was pronounced dead minutes later.

**-END-**

This was planned from the beginning. The last chapters are coming up soon! Please wait for me as I battle through schoolwork!

See you all soon, and as always, thanks for your support!


	24. From hellfire to hope

Title: After the Sun Shined

Pairing: Emil x Marta

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Tales franchise, including the plot and characters. I only own the story itself.

Rating: T

Author's Note: I know not all my readers are from the United States, but I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving! The holiday season is upon us and, as a present, we're going to _wrap_ this story up. Haha.

Enjoy.

**-START-**

"Thea's…not coming back?" Aster asked with wide, blue eyes. He seemed confused and bewildered by his father's soft words. "I don't understand, Daddy. Is she sleeping? Thea oversleeps every day! I just play my toy instruments really loudly until she wakes up."

Marta was sobbing in the lobby. Her cries were so loud that no noise came from her mouth. It was silent screaming, and it had been going on for minutes. Aster didn't know why his mother was so sad. After a few minutes, Emil had finally taken him outside the hospital to talk to him. He didn't know how to explain it.

Your daughter is dead, the doctor had told them. Was he supposed to repeat those same words to his son? He couldn't do that. He wouldn't do that. Aster wouldn't have understood.

"She's not going to be living with us anymore," Emil said, eyes hidden by a curtain of long bangs. The man didn't cry. If he started crying, then he knew Aster would become even more confused and frightened. Emil swallowed hard and continued with great effort, "Your sister is gone. She isn't sleeping."

"She's not? How do you know?"

"Because she won't ever wake up," he said with a smile. It was brought on by the relief of telling his son the truth, but also, it was the only thing he could do to keep his feelings under control. He didn't want to snap at his son after such an awful event. Thankfully, Aster didn't seem confused. Perhaps he even understood what he meant in a way. The message was more important than the mood of his voice.

His son's eyes became half-lidded. His mouth moved slowly, as if he was talking in a dream. "Won't…wake up?" he asked, tilting his head. "Is she dead?"

"Huh?" Emil asked, almost caught off-guard by the frankness of the question.

Aster explained with a weak smile on his face. "Mom told me that when the fishermen by our house catch fish they have to kill then before they're cooked and eaten. It's like that, right Daddy? I didn't know it could happen to people."

Emil managed a laugh and a nod. Oddly enough, it was harder to force the nod. He still couldn't accept it. At least Aster was mature enough to somewhat understand the concept of death. He wasn't sure he'd be able to come up with an explanation when he was in such turmoil. "Well…in a way, I guess. But we shouldn't compare your sister to a fish, okay?"

The man stood and offered Aster his hand. The little boy slipped his hand against Emil's larger one and squeezed tightly. They readied themselves to go inside and walked towards the front door. As Emil pushed against the glass, his minty gaze caught a glimpse of a familiar black haze looming overhead. "T-Tenebrae…" he mouthed out, turning to see the Centurion materializing and landing on the ground. As usual, he bowed his head in respect to the blonde haired man.

"Hello, Lord Emil, Lord Aster."

"Tenebrae!" Aster exclaimed, turning around to face the black creature. The Centurion always brought a smile to Aster's round face. The boy ran forward and patted the top of his head playfully. "I missed you!"

"And I as well, Lord Aster," he replied curtly. "However, I must remind you not to pet me too much in public. Remember, only you, your parents and your sister could see me."

"Oh, yeah…" the little boy remembered, clear eyes widening. "I…I still don't fully understand why that is, but okay. Didn't you tell me you'd explain it to me again when I was older? I'm older now! Can't you go ahead and tell me…please?"

"Now isn't the time, I'm afraid," he said, tail swaying back and forth slowly. The Centurion's red gaze traveled to Emil's and saw the palpable sadness from within. Also, there was a small amount of inquiry. As naïve as Emil was, he was no cuckold. There was a faint spark of interest in Emil's eye as he gazed over Tenebrae's form. Perhaps he knew that the creature's appearance at that time was too odd to be a mere coincidence. "Lord Aster, please go inside for a moment. I must discuss something with your father about your…erm, sister."

The little boy looked back through the doors and stared at his mother's sobbing form. Both could tell he didn't want to go back inside and witness his own mother breaking down, but they insisted. Emil told him to go on and promised he'd follow him shortly. Marta needed somebody.

Reluctantly, the timid boy meandered back inside and went to Marta's side, trying his best to make her feel better. Both watched through the glass as the woman took the boy into her arms and held him close, her face concealed against his shoulder. Fearing the urge to run back inside, Emil looked away and slowly guided the creature around the side of the building. Tenebrae floated obediently overhead under they reached the darkest part of the crevice between the buildings.

"Lord Emil…I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Tenebrae," Emil began, facing the opposite direction. His posture seemed surprisingly erect for one who'd just lost a child.

"You seem to be taking it well."

"Not _well _exactly," Emil chuckled. "I…just have a question to ask you."

Tenebrae's tail stilled. "I assume my answer will change your mood?"

"Drastically," Castagnier said, turning towards the Centurion. His face was unreadable and almost completely neutral in appearance. Emil kneeled down onto the ground, not caring if the dirt stained his clothes, and stared at the creature squarely. "Okay, here goes…"

He swallowed and became tense.

"Is it…is it my fault that she's dead?"

Tenebrae was as silent as a stone. For moments, no noise was exchanged between the two. By the time Tenebrae broke the silence, it was as if they'd been in a hellish limbo for hours. "Whatever do you mean, Lord Emil?"

"I'm a summon spirit, right?" he asked, voice becoming more raspy and desperate despite his seemingly cool composure. "So, that means…that my children can't simply be human, right? Did Thea's death have something to do with me?"

Tenebrae huffed and backed away, red eyes becoming sharp as daggers. "Lord Emil, are you asking which one of you is responsible for her death? Or, are you asking me how she died?"

Emil didn't understand. Why would Tenebrae propose two questions? It would be completely pointless unless he knew the answers to both questions. Castagnier then froze and realized with some amount of fear and anticipation that said option was the only conclusion he could come to. Tenebrae knew the answer to both questions and was capable of answering them. Emil wasn't in the mood for any of the Centurion's poetic riddles or games. Any other time it would be fine. But not when his daughter was lying in a morgue.

"What?" Emil asked, leaning closer. "W-What do you mean?"

"I'm simply asking you if you're inquiring about how she died. Do you believe you are responsible…or is it possible that the fault lies with Lady Marta instead?"

"No," Emil said in a deadly serious tone. His gaze had darkened drastically. "Why...why would you ask such a thing?"

The Centurion looked up at him and asked casually, "Well, isn't that what the doctor's said? They believe Lady Marta's weak disposition was responsible. She's much smaller than many other women, as far as I've seen. Do you not believe that? Or perhaps they didn't tell you at all."

Emil couldn't believe what he was hearing. Is that why Zelos had been so concerned after the babies had been delivered? At first, Emil thought he might be fretful because he wasn't used to Sylvaranti hospitals and thought the place was ill-equipped for the delivery of twins. Yet, the more he pondered the Chosen's choice of language back then, perhaps he had realized that there might be special conditions behind the birth of the children. No wonder he hadn't said anything.

There was nothing he could do at that point, and the theory hadn't been solid.

"It's not Marta's fault," Emil finally replied after minutes of silence. "Sure, Marta may be smaller than a lot of other people, but she's not weak! She's infinitely stronger than I am! She would never let her weakness hurt others! And…even if it did have something to do with her physical state, I will never blame her. Not ever!"

For some reason, the Centurion pressed him harder with another seemingly pointless question. "Does the loss of your daughter make you wish you'd never met Lady Marta…and never had children?"

"I'd never feel that way," he insisted in a determined tone. "Nothing would ever make me regret meeting Marta. Not anything! I'll admit, I hate that my daughter is gone…I hate it so much I just want to scream and just kill myself for letting it happen. But nothing…nothing could ever make me want to give up the one person I've ever loved. I just wished…I could have protected Thea…so that…that..."

The creature cocked his head. In a strange way, Tenebrae looked pleased with his answer. "Well, thank goodness it's not Lady Marta's fault then."

The young man appeared astounded. He then blushed bright red, realizing the spiel he'd just recited. In reality, Tenebrae had been doing nothing but playing another trick. Embarrassment then turned to sadness in half a second. "So…it's mine then, right?"

"I didn't say that," Tenebrae said abruptly. "You still jump to conclusions. Inside, you still act like a sixteen-year-old. You must believe me when I say neither of you are to blame."

Castagnier looked astounded for a moment. His head was spinning from what had just happened to his family, and talking to Tenebrae was not an easy task when one wasn't of stable mind and good mood. It was a rather trying task. Even Emil, who'd known the Centurion for years, was having trouble understanding what he was saying.

"Neither of us is to blame?" Emil questioned blankly. "Then what happened? Tenebrae, if what happened to my daughter wasn't physical, then it must have something to do with me being a Summon Spirit, right?"

Tenebrae nodded. Without letting Emil ask another questions, he explained everything to the desperate young man. Every detail about his daughter's spirit guarding the door of the underworld was explained. The Centurion told him with such frankness that Emil was rendered speechless.

His daughter would guard the door to the demonic realm for all of eternity. Her spirit could never move on. Her soul would never rest. Her fate was the same as her father's, only Emil had the pleasure of living out his full life, and then succumbing to his inevitable fate. Never did he ever dream he would share his cruel destiny with his daughter. "Lord Emil, this was not your fault. The fate was brought upon by a series of events that nobody could have predicted. Even though this all began with Lord Ratatosk taking Aster's life long ago…what happened from then on was unpredictable. Nobody could have prevented this. It was impossible for your children to be fully mortal."

For minutes, Castagnier simply stared back at him. The emotions in his eyes were so oddly mixed that even a perceptive being like Tenebrae couldn't tell what the young man was thinking. There was sadness, anger, malice, despair and, perhaps most evident of all, there was shock.

"Lord Emil, this was inevitable."

The reassuring sentence didn't help.

"That doesn't make me feel much better," Castagnier finally replied. His voice rapidly switched dramatically between softness and a darkly humorous chuckle. His hand went to his face, covering his eyes. "So…I can't fix it? There's nothing I can do to save my daughter, right?"

"No."

The single word was like a dagger to his heart.

The man slumped over and looked ready to collapse. Tenebrae had to admit, it was hard for him to watch. Never before had he even felt true pity for a human. Part of him felt Emil truly deserved it such a rare emotion. The Centurion watched as the man sighed deeply, inhaled a deep breath and readied himself to return to Marta's side. His poor wife was still unable to stop crying. Listlessly, he readied himself to go when Tenebrae's voice called him back.

"Just a moment, Lord Emil," the dog said, tail swishing back and forth. When said man turned to meet his companion's gaze, he found a mysterious smile on the Centurion's face.

"I…never said you couldn't see her again. If fact, if you wish it so, I could take you to her tonight."

**-END- **

Finals. I hate them.

Still, the final chapter is done, and so is the epilogue. I'm just perfecting them at the moment! Please stay with me! R&R, and I hope you enjoyed!

**This is dedicated to my wonderful father Alex, whose birthday is today and, for years, has supported me endlessly.**


	25. Wait for us

**-START-**

"_We could see her again," Emil told Marta after rushing in the hospital from his talk with Tenebrae in the alleyway. "Tenebrae told me. We could visit her every single day if wanted…we would just have to go to the demonic realm to see her."_

_Aster listened, even more confused than before. Marta however, understood perfectly. She shot up and fumbled with Emil's hands, unsure whether to hold them or to simply embrace him tightly._

"_A-Are you sure?"_

"_Yes," he said, using his thumb to wipe away a tear from her cheek. "Isn't that great? We can see her! She won't be alone!"_

_Marta looked elated. For a few moments, the woman looked as if she might burst from her joy. Then, just as quickly as her smiled had appeared, it faded. The tears returned and she collapsed in her husband's arms. "M-Marta…?"_

"_I know," she muttered, voice muffled from sobs. She continued with great difficulty, "I know…this is so fantastic…and I want to see her…but it doesn't change that fact that she's…she's…"_

_That she's dead. That's what Marta had planned on saying. However, she couldn't say those words. It would destroy her. Someday, she'd be able to say it. But only a few hours had passed, and the poor woman was still teetering precariously over the depths of total despair. First her mother, then her daughter. Both were gone. Now, the idea of seeing her daughter again filled her with glee. But that didn't change the fact that she was gone. _

"_I know," Emil said, hugging her against his chest. "I know. Marta…I'm so sorry…"_

_Her next words were but a mere whisper. "Emil…please cry."_

"_Huh?"_

"_I know you want to…" Marta mumbled. An actual laugh escaped her lips, though it was tired and cracked. "Why don't you cry? You don't have to be so strong right now. I don't…want you holding back your pain just because of me…"_

_He found the strength to smile back at her. No tears came, but he did squeeze her tightly. "Cry for both of us, Marta. Don't stop until you're ready."_

"_But…why?"_

"_I can't cry now," he told her, using his strong hand to lift her jaw, their eyes connecting. "You have no idea how strong you are, Marta. If I start crying now…I'll never be ever to stop. I'll literally be crying for eternity."_

_All that could be heard from that moment on was Marta's wailing. _

The family returned home. It was quiet walk, the only noise coming from Marta. The woman was still sobbing endlessly, her tears failing to cease. Aster held one of her hands while Emil wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, not letting her go.

Tenebrae followed behind. He was wistfully silent. Aster attempted to talk to him, but the Centurion simply offered him a small time and told him it wasn't time. The young boy still didn't understand, but the Centurion knew it would hit him soon. It wouldn't be long before the poor boy would realize what had truly happened to his sister.

Tenebrae secretly dreaded that time.

Upon returning to their house, Aster went to his room to get some sleep. It would only be a few hours until dawn came, and the boy needed sleep. His parents stayed awake. It didn't feel right to go to bed. They knew they needed the sleep, but they felt like it wasn't right. They had to keep grieving. Besides, they'd inevitably fall asleep in a few hours. Tiredness would take over eventually.

Hopefully it wouldn't take long, Emil thought. They both needed rest desperately.

"When should we see her?" Marta asked suddenly, overturned hands trying desperately to dry her eyes. "I'd like to go as soon as possible…but…is it safe to take Aster?"

"He needs to see his sister," Emil told her, taking one of her trembling hands and kissing it. "We have to bring him. We'll just have to be careful, that's all."

"Is he ready…or is he too young?"

"Are _we_ ready?" he asked her with a good-natured grin. Marta couldn't resist a laugh.

"No," she agreed with one last sniffle, "I suppose not. We'll never be…but we just have to do it…and get through it."

"Yes, but we'll get through it together. As a family. That's what's important."

She agreed soundlessly, finally drying all her tears. The woman leaned forward and slumped against his shoulder. "Thank you, Emil."

From afar, the Centurion watched the two. The sight was certainly one he'd never thought he'd see. While he'd always somewhat supported Emil and Marta's relationship after their mission had been completed, he would never bet the two would make it so far. They had just lost a child. Such an incident was horrible to go through and he had expected them to fall away from each other. That wasn't the case. It was a pleasant surprise.

"I always knew they loved one another…" he said to himself quietly, "But I suppose I should have seen this coming. How bizarre they are."

The two finally fell asleep minutes later, their bodies resting together as if frozen in time. Marta was still latent against his chest while Emil held her loosely. The two hadn't made it to their bedroom and had simply collapsed on the couch. Careful not to disturb them, Tenebrae's form slowly flickered from sight, like a black flame that was suddenly blown out.

XOXOXOXOXO

"What a horrible incident…" Raine muttered to herself as she stared aimlessly out the window of the Iselia schoolhouse. Her younger brother, Genis, was behind her. His smaller body was sitting at one of the desks. He appeared to be even more lethargic than his older sister was.

Lloyd and Colette had recently informed them of the news. Since the blonde angel was pregnant, Lloyd volunteered to take the news to everyone else, including Zelos, Sheena, Regal and Presea. There were all in some many different locations that it would be too much for Colette to go along with him. However, they all needed to know. The sooner they knew what had happened, the faster they'd rush to Emil and Marta's aid.

As soon as Lloyd had been notified of what happened, he had immediately insisted that they all accompany Emil and Marta to the demonic gate. It wasn't just to support Aster, but they were all friends. They all needed to support each other.

"I suppose it was a little obvious something like this would happen," Genis finally chimed in with a helpless shrug. "I mean, when you really think about it, it makes sense."

"You're correct, Genis," the older sister said in such a stoic manner that the young half-elf was unsure if her lips had actually moved when she'd spoke. "I feel somewhat foolish. We all hoped for the best and let our optimism cloud our senses."

"Nobody could have done anything, sis…"

Raine didn't respond that time. Genis knew she knew anything he was saying was true, but she was sad. They all were. It was completely natural to mourn, especially during a deluge of cold rain. The grayish clouds cast a dark veil over the world that instantly lowered everyone's mood. If the sun had been shining, perhaps the future would have seemed brighter.

Still, the rain brought life to everything. It renewed the land and washed away impurities.

After the sun shined, the land would glow, and people would smile again. That's what had always happened. And, forever onward, that's the way the world would stay.

The siblings sat in silent with only the incessant pitter-patter of rain to as act as noise between them. Eventually Raine grew tired of staying quiet and looked to her younger sibling. There was an odd smile on her face. "Well, when the others arrive, we shall depart. Hopefully the rain will let up by then."

Genis hoped she was right.

He wasn't sure if Colette was going to come, considering how dangerous the trip could possibly be. She was officially pregnant. However, she'd probably want to tagalong anyway. She wasn't one to miss out on such important events, especially when they concerned people she cared about. If Colette was with Lloyd when he arrived, then she would join in. If not, it was probably for the best.

Genis was sure everyone else would show up.

"Alright," the young half-elf agreed. "We'll leave as soon as the others arrive. We'll head over to Palmacoasta and, from there…to the demonic realm."

The two siblings made their way towards the front door, watching as the rain continued to pour endlessly. Up in the horizon, a small glow began to break through the clouds. What appeared to be the sun at first then turned into loud, rumbling streaks. Behind each was a stream of rippling fog. Genis soon realized that they were Rheairds and, in the leads, was the red-haired Chosen himself. Lloyd rode beside him, body serious and erect. Behind him, Genis could see a swatch of golden blond hair gently wafting through the air. Colette had decided to come along, as he expected.

Neither looked the least bit happy. All the faces that followed were also sour and bitter.

In fact, Raine was the only one to greet everyone with a grin. Of course, it was quite forced.

"Well now," she said as everyone handed beyond the town gate adjacent to the schoolhouse, "I was hoping our next meeting would take place under _better_ circumstances."

Nobody could have said it better.

XOXOXOXOXO

Lloyd and Emil led the group through the demonic realm. Each person formed a ring of defense around the most vulnerable target: Aster. Colette and Marta were also tucked away. Colette's inhibition was not yet fully showing, but Emil felt Marta's emotional state would hinder her fighting ability.

Lloyd always went first out of the two leaders, making sure no monsters attacked their party. Colette would always try to assist him, but he would place a hand on her belly and gently tell her to stand back. He told her to stayback. When she kept refusing, he asked her to protect Marta on behalf of Emil.

The angel couldn't say no to that.

Irving was the first line of defense. Emil was the second person on charge of protecting the group. While Lloyd staid on the ground and handled the larger enemies with his two swords, Emil flipped through the air and initiated the small monsters in air combat. Each swing hurt multiple enemies and, which both of them working together, weaving their way through the demonic realm was much easier than expected. The opponents were much weaker than before, now that the balance of the world had been restored, but it was still difficult work protecting an entire group of people. The realm was still crawling with monsters. Emil was certain that, even with a crowd of people around the young boy, Aster had to have been terrified.

In no time, they were passing through the Monster Graveyard.

"Hey," Zelos said, tapping Sheena on the shoulder. "Isn't this where those two Vanguard guys bit the dust?"

"_Zelos_!" she hissed back, her fist jabbing him under his ribcage. While the man doubled over in pain, Presea looked to Regal sadly. There was a forlorn looks in her eyes.

"I heard this is where Alice and Decus were…"

"Indeed," a mysterious voice chimed, interrupting the girl in the midst of her sentence. "This is where Alice and Decus were slain. Sad, yes…but there was nothing that could be done. Alice's mind was made up, and Decus would follow her to the end of the Earth."

The enigmatic speech belonged to a certain Centurion they all knew. Before they could even fully turn around, Tenebrae appeared alongside the group. He looked and acted the same as usual. Long, sleek black body moving about like a cat's, and his red eyes shining like rubies. His voice dripped with both wisdom and sarcasm. "Certain matters are simply inevitable."

Regal's jaw tightened into a firm square. "I despise hearing that damn excuse. Of course…I know what you mean. There are just some things in this world that cannot be avoided. No matter how hard you work towards saving someone's life, there's always that faint possibility that it won't matter anymore."

My sister Alicia, Presea thought with a pang of hurt throbbing in her chest. She reached out to rub Regal's large shoulder in consolation, but he'd walked on before she could do so. Overcome by compassionate despair, Combatir stood as solid as a stone for more than ten seconds. Tenebrae pressed his nose against Presea's back and nudged her onward.

Her sister, Alicia.

Genis' friend, Marble.

Yuan's subordinate, Lord Botta.

Sheena's partner, Corrine.

Richter's best friend, Aster.

Emil and Marta's enemies, Alice and Decus.

So many deaths had been so wretched and unfair. What hurt the most was that the short list she'd compiled in her head didn't even come close to the full list of people had had unjustly passed away on their two journeys. All Presea wanted to do was scream and pound her fists against the ground in frustration. Regardless, she followed Tenebrae's cue and kept walking forward at a steady pace.

All the while, Emil and Marta didn't say a word. They simply couldn't.

After much anticipation and dreaded combat, the group finally approached the gate. Everyone was on edge, but especially Marta. The poor woman was shaking like a leaf and was so pale in the face Emil thought that she was going to be sick. Colette slowly took Marta by her shoulders and brought her into a comforting embrace. Marta fought back tears as Colette's loving voice whispered to her, "Be strong. We're all right here beside you."

Marta appreciated the words, but she wasn't concerned about herself. In fact, she was happy. Not only had her dearest friends made the long trip all the way to the demonic gate to support her and her husband, but she was going to see her daughter.

That was the only person she was worried about.

Lloyd, beaten and sweaty, stood before the gate. Emil, who'd take a few blows to his arm and what appeared to be a punch to the cheek, stood by him. Lloyd inhaled deeply in order to tame his pounding heart and turned to his nervous friend. "You ready, Emil?"

He wasn't. He never would be.

"Yes," he told Lloyd with a sad grin.

"Do you want us all to come inside?" Zelos asked Emil with a skeptical tilt of his head. "I mean, this seems very personal. We wouldn't want to interfere."

Castagnier shook his head and went to Marta's side. She was still tightly clinging to Colette, almost weak with anticipation and fear. Emil beckoned for her to grab onto his arm. Instead, she rushed against him and held onto him so tightly that her fingernails created red slits along his arm. As soon as Marta was by his side, he turned to Zelos wistfully.

"I want you all to come," he said. "We…both do."

The usually locked doors opened. Inside the darkened chamber came whispers and the pounding of demons from beyond the sealed door. Hesitant looks were exchanged, but nobody muttered any words of objection. The group flocked inside like a family of birds.

They all simply smiled and followed the couple through the black arches of the underworld.

The closer they got to the gate, the clearer the three forms in the distance became. One was tall with long hair and glasses that glinted in the firelight of the orange walls. The other was shorter with shaggy, blonde hair and red eyes. Ratatosk's form had aged along with Emil's body, so the two still looked virtually identical excluding the warm and cool differentiation of their eyes. Both familiar forms stood on either side of a tinier silhouette.

"Is that…?" Emil asked his wife, his mint eyes squinting to make out the figure's face.

"M-Maybe…"

The small form had long, blond hair and was wearing a familiar dress.

As they drew closer, the smaller form noticed their presence. She smiled and, blue eyes gleaming, held out her arms. "Mommy…Daddy!"

Both froze. It was her.

"Thea…" Marta mouthed out, cerulean eyes wide with tears. When the small girl smiled at her, Marta raced toward the apparition and tried to embrace it. When her arms passed right through the girl's body, Emil could see the look of terrible sadness on their faces. He ran up behind his wife and helped her up, never taking his eyes off his daughter. Aster also trotted toward the girl. When the little boy noticed her face, his eyes lit up. "Sister!"

Thea looked over and saw her brother standing there, looking so sweet and out of place in the hellhole she now resided in. Still, she smiled. "Aster! Come over here…it's me, Thea!"

Lloyd and Colette, who were both following right behind the couple, actually shook. Out of everyone else in their group, they had known Thea the most. From meeting her in the hospital from playing with her in the ocean, Lloyd and Colette had known her incredibly well. Colette touched her belly unconsciously when they saw her and her husband knew she was swallowing her sobs.

Thea's small body was levitating off the ground before the gate. Her skin was translucent and white, allowing the couple to see through her to the middle-part of the gateway. Her dress billowed angelically around her tiny legs, despite the lack of a breeze. But that didn't matter to Aster. The boy ran right up to her and began chatting with her normally, smiling and giggling as the ghostly apparition ran around him in a small circle, initiating a friendly game of chase. They played as if nothing was wrong.

"Mommy, Daddy," Aster cried, overjoyed. "Thea's still alive, see? That means she can come home! We found her, and she's okay."

Emil could feel Marta's body shaking in his hands. She was so close to breaking down that Emil knew he couldn't take his hands off her for one second. He didn't know what she might do.

As usual, he tried to stay calm and logical.

"No…we can't…" he said slowly.

"Huh? Why?"

Emil painfully responded, "We just can't."

"But why?" Aster asked again, this time his voice breaking. The little boy hadn't cried before when he learned of Thea's actual death, but now that he saw her, his blue eyes were glassy and watering. "Daddy…she's right here…can't we please…bring her home? I miss her…I miss my sister…"

Marta scooped the boy up in her arms and held him close.

"Please," Aster pleaded, clinging desperately to Marta's chest. "Please…? Can we?"

Emil left his son in his wife's care for the moment. He slowly stepped towards Thea, who was still grinning. It looked like a sincere smile, which made Emil all the guiltier. There was no way she could be happy now. Her life had been ripped away from her without her regard. How was it possible for her to still be smiling? Emil kneeled down before the girl so that they could see eye to eye. Upon staring at her long enough, she began to slowly wilt and allow her true emotions to shine. The little girl frowned and looked to the ground. Her father appeared to be sad, and she didn't like it.

"Thea…I'm so sorry," Emil choked out, not wanting to cry. It wasn't his place. Despite what Tenebrae had assured him, he still felt as if Thea's death and imprisonment were his fault. Even if he wasn't supposed to exist in the first place, he was still a Summon Spirit. "T-This shouldn't have happened to you."

"Daddy…" she crooned, her eyes wide.

Emil ground his teeth and kept talking, despite the desperate need to cry. "Thea, I love you so much…and this isn't fair to you! If I could switch places, I would…"

Thea stopped her father's talking by placing a hand on his cheek. Emil couldn't feel it, but he could see it was there. Thea smiled back at her father and told him in a kind whisper, "Daddy…I already know everything. Mr. Ratatosk and Mr. Richter told me. Someday, you'll be here with me…"

His eyes widened. He cast a quick glance to the two figures behind his daughter. He hadn't even greeted them yet but, judging by the calm, understanding looks on their faces, they understood why. Intrigued, he turned back to his daughter. "T-That's right," he told her. "But Thea…that's not the point! You shouldn't be here in the first place! You have your whole life to live…"

"And I can still live it here, right?" she asked sincerely. "After all, it's not as if you guys can't visit me!"

"Yeah, but…" Emil struggled, not sure if she fully understood the gravity of her fate.

Richter sighed deeply and nodded to Ratatosk. Everyone noticed the odd gesture and, as Ratatosk finally stepped forward, a complete hush fell over the chamber.

"She can be summoned," Ratatosk finally said, crossing his arms frankly. "Thea has become an entity just like Richter and I. She is bound here spiritually, but if a summoner where to call her forth, she could leave this place temporarily. Just like all other spirits, she can be summoned from a specific site. You will both choose that place if you decide to make the pact. Just keep in mind that, if you do make the pact, Thea will always be a spirit. If another summoner where to abolish Sheena's pact, Thea would make a new pact. That is the way of spirits."

Lloyd's eyes widened. "It's just like the others, right? But why would anyone want to make a pact with a human spirit. We could never make a pact with Alicia's ghost…"

"Because she only a mortal ghost," Presea guessed. "Thea is Emil's daughter…therefore she is technically a Summon Spirit, just like Tenebrae. My sister was also bound by an exsphere. Because Thea is a technical Summon Spirit, she can be called upon just like Aqua or Tenebrae, right?"

"That is correct," Richter told the young girl. "If Thea had been born a mortal and died, there would be nothing we could do. However, thanks to Emil's spiritual status, she could be summoned just like us. If I recall correctly, you have a summoner in your group. Is that correct, Lloyd Irving?"

Ratatosk peered through the dense crowd of people to see Sheena standing among them. The woman had already made a pact with Ratatosk and Richter, so it was also possible for her to make a pact with Thea. That way, Emil and Marta could see their daughter whenever they desired. Not only was it incredibly convenient, but it was a better deal than anyone could have ever dreamed.

Except for the fact their beloved daughter was still cursed for eternity.

"Daddy, don't worry about me," Thea said, moving her hand from Emil's cheek. The man grasped the invisible limb, seeking warmth he'd never feel again. "I don't want to see you cry, Daddy. Please…I'm happy. Really…I am. I can always see you and mommy. And…one day…you'll be here with me. Then we can be together forever!"

Together forever.

She was right.

Emil let a hollow laugh pass his lips. Marta, who'd been embracing Emil from a distance, finally stepped forward. Thea smiled at the woman and firmly told her brother to stop crying. "Aster, don't cry! Daddy is going to stay with me forever, but you've got to protect mommy! You're a man, aren't' you?"

The boy managed a nod and wiped a tear away with his tiny fist.

Marta put a hand to her mouth and suppressed a small laugh. She tucked her face in the crook of Emil's shoulder and, while she was still crying, there was a fine trace of a smile. Emil wrapped one arm around his wife and looked back at his ghostly daughter. With a wry sigh, he told her, "You're strong, Thea."

"Maybe," she said, cheeks turning pink from glee. "But it's all because of you. Thank you both…so much."

The family staid bundled together for a bit longer. Thea didn't step away from her family and her parents didn't dare move from her. It was Ratatosk who finally stepped forth and asked in a baritone voice, "Are you ready to have Sheena make the pact?"

Castagnier nodded. All three of them were ready. Making a pact would be the final step before they would have to return home to Palmacoasta and leave her again. Marta wasn't sure if she could do it. She'd already had to walk out on Emil and hear those damned doors slam shut behind her. The thought of doing the same with her daughter made her stomach flop. Emil continued to hold her tightly before turning to a wide-eyed Sheena.

"Can you do it?" Emil asked her. "I'm so sorry to impose…but could you…please make a pact with our daughter?"

The purple-hair ninja gave him an incredulous look. After ruffling her hair, she grinned back and him and strode forward. "Impose? Are you kidding? I was about to beg you to let me make the pact! Just leave it me, Emil."

He nodded his thanks.

"Would you all like to say goodbye?" Richter asked with a small frown on his face. "I know this may sound like a nice arrangement, but this has never been done before. This should work. Logically, that is. But there's still the chance that the pact won't work."

Ratatosk forced himself to suppress a smile. Emil didn't make the effort. The blonde chuckled for a few seconds then lifted his head towards Richter and said in a confident tone, "This isn't goodbye. I believe in Sheena. I believe in Ratatosk…and I believe in my daughter."

Abend lifted a brow in amusement. He'd never seen that look in Emil's eyes before. It was so self-reliant that Richter flashed back to the days where he was with Aster. He remembered that Aster had gotten the same look when he'd uncovered a new fact about Ratatosk's existence. That same self-assured grin was always on his face.

"You _believe_, huh?" Richter asked, crossing his arms. "Well, courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality. That's what Aster thought…and I always believed in him. I guess that means I must also believe in you, Emil."

_Good luck, _Richter muttered as Sheena finally reached the platform where Thea stood.

The woman took out a talisman from the folds of her robe and held it before the young girl. Sheena took a calming breath and straightened her shoulders.

"Since Thea has no previous pact, you can shorten the ceremony," Ratatosk confirmed, standing aside so she had plenty of room to complete the pact. Everyone watched from afar, their breathing shallow and nervous. Even Emil, who had displayed such confidence, was now cursing his words. Marta clung to him and Aster desperately.

Please work, Marta prayed. Please.

Sheena stilled suddenly and held the scrap of paper before her face. Her form was solid and, in seconds, the room felt charged with a magic nobody had ever felt before. Sheena opened her mouth to begin when, all of a sudden, Marta broke free from her husband's grasp.

"Wait," she cried, stumbling towards the pair. Emil reached out for his wife, but his hand missed her wrist by a few inches. Despite calls from both her husband and her son, she continued to trot towards Sheena and her levitating daughter. Marta got onto her knees and cast an apologetic gaze up at Sheena. "Wait! Just one moment, please…"

The woman stepped back and allowed the mother to approach her daughter. Thea was just as confused as Sheena was about her mother's sudden outburst. "Mommy…? What is it?"

"Here," Marta told her, reaching up to her head. The woman slowly unclipped the flower accessories in her hair and extended them to their daughter. Thea saw the barrettes in her mother's hand and gasped. Before the little girl could refuse them, Marta told her in a wistful tone, "Your grandfather gave these to your grandmother on their first date long ago. When your grandmother died, they were passed down to me. I was wearing these flowers when I met your father…and now I want to pass them down to you. Please, Thea…I want you to wear them. As my daughter, you are the next to inherit them."

The little girl stared at the flowers clips in wonder. Marta insisted she take them and, with a thankful smile, Thea obeyed. She slowly clipped them on either side of her head, mimicking her mother's style exactly. After some help from her mother in terms of straightening the clips, she faced the group of onlookers with a smile. "Well…do I look like mommy?"

She looked almost exactly like Marta, excluding the bright blonde hair. It was almost astonishing. Struggling, Emil nodded as Aster continued to stare on in sadness. "Yeah, you look just like mommy."

Thea laughed and did a silly twirl that imitated a model on a runway.

After one last embrace, Marta stepped back and nodded to Sheena to continue on with the ceremony. She went back into Emil's arms and traded places with the ninja. Castagnier took the woman into his arms and placed an encouraging kiss on her cheek.

They could still summon their daughter. But the girl would never live again. They would never wake up to her smiling face again. They would never play with her on the beach again.

She was alive, but in a way, it was as if she was still dead.

"I am Sheena," the woman announced in a valiant shout. She had initiated the pact. "I ask that Thea, daughter of the Summon Spirit Emil, establish a pact with me."

It was easy to see the formality made Thea nervous. Yet, after Sheena finished her vow, the little girl appeared to understand the request completely. She responded in a sweet tone that echoed through the whole room, like the ring of a church bell.

"Yes. I would love to accept your pact, Sheena."

The talisman glowed for a moment then appeared to explode like a small firecracker. Orange and red embers exploded in every direction and skidded across the floor at immense speeds. Everyone jumped back in fear and Aster covered his eyes. For a moment, even the usually cocky Ratatosk was concerned that something had gone awry. Sheena kept her hand on the scrap of paper and continued to stand her ground. Eventually the flashing ceased. The newly inscribed seal cooled in her hand. When the lights stilled, everyone saw Sheena smile. The pact had worked.

"It's done," Fujibayashi said, exhaling deeply. A weight was now off her shoulders. The woman turned daintily and put the scrap into her pocket. "Well, that was some pact! I've never seen anything like that before…" she declared with the wave of a hand.

Ratatosk removed himself from the corner and sauntered back to the front of the group. Shoulders tight and nose high, the red-eyed demon smirked warmly down at the family before him. "Now, Sheena can summon Thea anywhere. However, anyone can call upon her spirit at her burial site."

Marta shook at the last two words. Again, Emil gripped her tightly in consolation.

Then a hush fell over the crowd. They had come to see Thea, verify her good condition and make a pact with her spirit. Now all of that was completed. It was time to leave so that the doors could be sealed again. From the downcast expressions from around the room, it was easy to see nobody wanted to ask the dreaded question. It wasn't until Tenebrae, as always, seemed to spring out of nowhere and begin to speak. There was deadness to his eyes and voice.

"Well, shall we depart, Lord Emil?"

He wanted to say no. He didn't want to leave his own daughter behind. The man looked up and saw that, to his heartbreak, Thea was also staring back at him with an expression of longing. She wanted to go back with her family. But she knew she couldn't.

"We have to…close the doors…" she said hesitantly, cerulean eyes looking towards her feet. "Mr. Ratatosk will take care of me…and so will Mr. Richter. You guys all have to leave…"

"Sis…" Aster said, reaching a tiny arm out to her. Finally, Raine walked toward the boy and offered to hold him so that Marta and Emil could finish their goodbyes. The half-elf had not predicted that they'd turn down the offer.

After all, it wasn't goodbye. Not forever.

"Wait for us," Emil told Thea with a tearful smile. "We're going to head back home, but we'll talk to you every day…and visit as often as we can…"

"How often?" she asked, joy returning to her face. Bit it flickered away when she saw Richter slowly shake his head back and forth. "So…not often?"

"A few times a year…" Abend told them, trying to keep his tone firm despite his urge to look away. "We cannot open these doors too often. Even now, demonic energy is pulsating from beyond the gate. If it escapes, the world will fall into another hell. That's why those doors must stay closed as often as possible."

Everyone paled. Ratatosk, seeing everyone's dismay, decided to make an executive decision.

"You may visit her three days a year," Ratatosk decided firmly, staring at the crowd. "Once on her birthday, and two other days of your choice. However, you must address me beforehand on the matter. Only then can you enter this place and see her. I realize it isn't much, but it's as much as I can do without risking the world's wellbeing again. I sympathize with you, Emil…but you must understand. This gate is my priority. And soon, it will be Thea's as well."

Ratatosk hands were gripped into tight fists. The demon's distress was incredibly palpable. Yet in a way, Ratatosk was going to be Thea's father. Emil wouldn't be able to raise her any longer.

That's not such a bad thing, Emil thought with a dull laugh. Castagnier was still her father, but Ratatosk would bring her up until the day he died. It wasn't so bad. It could have been worse. Emil would have rather had Ratatosk advising his daughter in certain matters than Zelos, for example. Then again, Thea had a spunky enough personality that she could probably take his lecherous lessons.

But he'd never know.

"Three days? Thank you, Mr. Ratatosk!" she cried, jumping up and spinning with glee. Ratatosk stifled, blushed and looked away, rubbing the back of his head. Having a little girl around was going to take getting used to.

Emil noted a look of joy on Thea's visage. Three days. Honestly, it wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. The man would take it without any complaints.

"We must depart," Tenebrae said finally, head hanging. "I will exit last. Everyone please walk out one at a time. After the last person leaves, I will be the ones to shut the door."

"Okay," Emil said, nodding to the rest of his party. One by one, each person said a brief goodbye. Each was heartfelt and equally sad in nature. Regal and Presea went first, followed by Raine and Genis. Sheena and Zelos also said goodbyes and, after many tears and embraces, it was Colette and Lloyd's turn. Irving didn't shed a tear, but Colette was sobbing buckets as she hugged the girl tightly. Thea looked at Colette's belly and told her that, if she had a daughter, to let her meet the baby sometime. She would love to be a big sister to ever more people. The angel promised and left with a tearful grin on her face.

That left just Emil, Marta and their son.

The color of the room suddenly darkened. Thea turned to them and nodded her head sadly. "Will…you guys come talk to me often?"

"Every day," Marta promised, putting a hand on her thudding heart. "We'll come to you in the morning and at night. We'll talk to you every single day!"

Emil nodded in affirmation. "It doesn't matter the weather. Rain or snow, hurricane or typhoon. We will always find our way to your gave and say hello to you. You'll just have to wait for us."

"Yeah," Aster agreed, putting on his bravest voice. "Just wait for us! We'll talk to you as soon as we get home! Don't worry."

Tears dripped from Thea's large eyes. Aster saw them and slowly went forward to wipe them away. At first, he appeared baffled that he couldn't see them. He eventually got the hang of it and was able to finally embrace his sobbing twin sister.

"I'll wait," the little girl said through tears. "I'll always wait. I'll wait forever if I have to…daddy…mommy…"

The family gradually stepped back and waved to her. The little girl slowly floated over to her original place between Raratosk and Richter. The three refused to tear their eyes away from her. All the while, Thea, waved to them and smiled. She hollered just as the doors were about the slam, "Daddy, mommy, Aster! I love you guys!"

"We love you too!" they all yelled back as loud as they could.

Then it came.

The heavy sound of two metal slabs clinging together overpowered their voices. With that one sound, Thea was gone.

XOXOXOXOXO

The trip home was tedious. Everyone was mentally and physically exhausted beyond belief. All Emil wanted to do was see his daughter, and then sleep. He and Marta needed to sleep for a long time.

The fortune teller in Triet had given him time off when she'd learned of his daughter's death only a short while ago, so a lack of sleep didn't concern him monetarily. Emotionally, the man was drained. Just the thought of lifting his arms to shampoo his hair in the shower made him want to collapse.

They'd exited the netherworld nicely. On the way back, Regal, Presea and Zelos had handled the monsters.

"Let's all meet again soon," Lloyd had said when they'd all exited the Underworld. "Let's make amazing memories again."

Everyone had agreed on that. After such a heavy journey, they all needed the rest. Joy was an emotion Castagnier wished he could buy inside a syringe just so he could push it back into his veins. The man looked down at his son's face and didn't expect to see him smiling back up at him.

"What's with that grin, Aster?" Emil asked semi-playfully. Part of him was teasing and another was genuinely curious.

Aster explained it was because of his sister. "She'll always be with us, no matter what. She can never get hurt again. Whenever I feel sad, we can talk. If I ever need advice, I can ask her. She's safe down there and…even though it may be sad and really different…it makes me want to make her happy all the time. I've never felt like that before."

Marta was holding the little boy's hand tightly when he said those words. At first, she appeared to be confused by Aster's statement. Emil wasn't sure he ever understood, but he shrugged it off.

"C'mon," he urged as they approached their house. Over the fence stood the same bridge where Emil and Marta were reunited. Beyond that was a small pier the extended into the cool, murky waters of the ocean. In the horizon, a graveyard was outlined in the moonlight. There was a patch of land that appeared to be freshly tilled.

"We promised your sister. Let's go wish her goodnight."

**-END-**


	26. I'll wait

_Epilogue_

"Sister," a young man's voice said wistfully. It was a soft, melodic voice with no harshness that one might expect from a stereotypical teenage boy. There was only mildness reflected in his calming tone. In the distance, the sun rose over the horizon. "Sister…today is our birthday. We're both sixteen today."

The Palmacoasta cemetery was on a small island just a ways away from the bridge. Since the mass wasn't connected to the main city in any way, one had to take a small ferry if they wished to visit the site. With nothing but the cold ocean surrounding the area, there was a serene coldness to the place that was both respectful and eerie. Barely anyone wanted to go when it was night, as the water would make the graveyard incredibly chilly. But Aster didn't mind. The sun had just risen and it was officially the twins' birthday. Aster had made sure to wake up with it was still pitch black outside. He didn't want to waste a second.

After all, he had yet to wish his sister a happy birthday.

His blonde hair clung to his cheeks as the ocean breezes swept across the small area. The grass and flowers waves gently, but the hard marble gravestones didn't budge. Against the lush greenery of the pastel-colored city, they were cold and solid. Aster slowly reached out and rubbed his hand against the grave, his thumb following the grooves in the stone that spelled out her name. _Thea Castagnier._

"I wanted to be the first to tell you," he said with a sweet grin, his timid eyes shining with unusual life. "Oh, and I almost forgot! I went to see Mrs. Dorr yesterday. At first, she confused me with our dad. She said we look really alike. I guess you were right…"

He knew he could go to the Underworld at any time and see his sister. She would be guarding the door, her body levitating off the ground slightly while bathed in an unearthly glow. Every time he saw her, blue eyes wide and golden hair billowing, he always thought she looked like Marta. They didn't look much alike in terms of superficial appearance, but it was obvious that she took more after their mom than their dad. Aster always thought he looked like an awkward mix of his parents traits but, after visiting his sister so many times, she'd always tell him otherwise.

You look just like Daddy, she had told him. You could be his twin.

Aster remembered those words meaning a lot to him.

"We're going to visit you later. I just wanted to talk first. Oh, and I brought I present for your gravestone!"

Aster turned around and reached unto the large sack he carried from his shoulder. Inside was a carefully selected bouquet of flowers. He removed the batch carefully, not wanting a single petal to be misplaced. The paper wrapped around the flowers crinkled softly as he placed them at the base of her grave. It was a mix of roses, jasmine, daisies and asters.

"Mom and dad picked out the flowers," Aster told her with a shrug. "Anna helped too. "You remember her, right? She's Lloyd and Colette's daughter. We summoned you on the day she was born! She's gotten big. She wanted to come see you today, but she had school…"

Anna really loved Thea. They'd only met a few times, but Anna had told Aster she thought of her as an older sister. The phrase had made Aster so pleased he hadn't stopped smiling for days after she'd told him.

The young man backed up a few steps so he could observe the sight from afar. The flowers looked so solemn against her stone. But in another way, it was so perfect. So fitting.

"I love you, sister," Aster muttered, sadly watching as the orange orb in the distance continued to rise against the darkened sky. Another cold breeze rattled his bones, making his next words come out in a shiver. "I know I'll probably just tell you everything I've just said when we go and visit you in a few hours. But…I just wanted to tell you, just in case you heard me."

No reply came. Obviously, thought Aster to himself with a dumb grin. What had he expected? It was impossible for her to reply.

He turned back to his boat. With one push against the plush sand, he set off and slowly paddled through the darkness, the haziness over the water lifted as the sun crawled higher into the sky.

"I'll see you soon," he whispered against the chilly breezes. Paddle in hand, he rowed back to the wooden pier attached to the town's boat shop. The grave faced him as we went. Not moving. Not blinking.

It simply faded away silently into the distance.

"Wait for me."

A ghostly form watched him go. She was a tall, lean woman with long hair and slender limbs. Her hair cascaded freely down her petit back. Her equally small hand waved him away as her beautiful face smiled back at him. Her blue eyes watered. The flowers that were clipped in her hair sparkled against the light of dawn.

"_I'll wait."_


	27. Letter from Author

Hello amazing readers,

This is L'Archel-Hotishi, or as many of you know, Jessica.

So here we are at the end. It's quite sad, considering how long this story has lasted. Granted, I did go on a very long hiatus in the middle, but I digress. I just wanted to thank everyone for their support. I also wanted to thank these very special users who really spurred me on with their extra reviews, messages and attention:

Naekane

Strawberry Egss

Oracle2Phoenix

Puppylove7

Omegafire17

AntiSora

Of course, everyone who showed me support was amazing. I read and responded to as many reviews as possible, and I want you to all know that I appreciate every word you've written me. Even if you didn't like the second game or enjoy my story as much as other fanfics, I hold those opinions dear. I just wanted close this story with my sincerest thanks.

I will be writing more stories for ToS and ToS2, so you'll probably see me again soon. I'll also be writing more video game fanfictions for Rune Factory, Legend of Zelda and (even more) Harvest Moon! I'll be popping up all over the place.

But yes, thank you so much. This story has been so fun to write. Even more fun was to hear how many people enjoyed it. Those words of kindness are what encourage me to keep writing. Even as I continue onto more professional writing, I find that fanfictions are still some of the most rewarding works to create. Thank you all for giving me this feeling.

Everyone, I hope you have an amazing New Year. I hope 2013 is amazing for all of you. Stay safe, be happy and remember to always have the courage to pursue your desires.

Sincerely and with much love,

_L-Archel-Hotshi_


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